University of Bergamo

The University of Bergamo, founded in 1968, was originally named the "Institute of Foreign Languages and Literature". Under Rector Serio Galeotti (1972–75), the degree course in economics and business was introduced (1974), finally becoming a Faculty in 1988.

During the rectorship of Giorgio Szëgo, characterized by the new Faculty of Economics, the university continued to expand, but it was the Rector Pietro Enrico Ferri in 1990 who opened the Faculty of Engineering in Dalmine and accompanied the transfer of the private institute to the State under the new name "University of the studies of Bergamo".

Over the years the university has played an important role in restoring some of the historic buildings in the Upper City of Bergamo: the Faculty of Foreign Languages started off in the former palace of the Venetian Governor in Piazza Vecchia; Economics was in the former Capuchin monastery in Piazza Rosate; Human Sciences, Arts and Philosophy are in the former Augustinian monastery in front of the Fara park, and in the nearby former Collegio Baroni; while the Rector's seat is still in the former Terzi Palace of Saint Agatha in Via Salvecchio.

The university has steadily expanded, and in the last few years under the guidance of the rector, Stefano Paleari, the growth has been remarkable. With the recent additions of Arts and Philosophy and Law, the departments are now six; there are seventeen degree courses – three in Languages, three in Arts and Philosophy, four in Economics, one in Law, five in Engineering and one in the Science of Economic and Financial Security in collaboration with the "Academy of the Guardia di Finanza" (a higher education college for the training of Italian Economic/Financial Police ― the Guardia di Finanza is an Italian police force directly under the authority of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, is an integral part of the Italian armed forces as well as of the law enforcement agencies).

Together with eight postgraduate diplomas, there are also new courses in law, pedagogy and tourism. Enrollments, constantly on the increase, have passed from 7 thousand (academic year 1999/2000) to more than 15 thousand (academic year 2013/2014); as new courses and teaching facilities increase, so do the enrolments.

In 2001 the Faculty of Economics moved from the Upper City to the Lower City in Via dei Caniana, while the former Monastery of Saint Augustin and Collegio Baroni were reopened as the new centre for the Faculty of Human Sciences, Arts, and Philosophy, so that the university now occupies an area of 40,000 m2. In 2004, it established a satellite campus in Treviglio, the first five students of which graduated in 2007.

The University of Bergamo is the administrative seat for six research doctorates and can boast important initiatives such as the International Seminar of the Russian Language, the Course on Italian Language and Literature for Foreigners, the Centre of Anthropology, the Observatory on Bank Mergers, and the Centre for Territorial Studies.

There is an original and fruitful relationship between the university and the business activities of the province of Bergamo. Various firms have contributed to the financing of the association Pro Universitate Bergomensi, which supports the university in its initiatives. As a result, certain degree courses in textile engineering and laboratories and research projects in various fields have been financed.