Universities existed way before Johannes Gutenberg developed the print, and they have played a significant role in shaping the development of the modern societies. The first university that has been at the center of Italy’s history was established in 1088 in Bologna. Since the University was established, it has gone through periods that have threated its existence. Initially, the goal of establishing the institution was to help support the study of a central text in Roman law. With time, the university became a center of learning of other subjects including war studies. Given its rich history, the university has been instrumental in the study of civil law.
Like some other oldest world universities, the University of Bologna has had a dark past. The history of the institution was interrupted by forces emanating both from within and out of the country. Although the chaos brought by the Second World War interrupted learning at the institution, it was bombings of 1926 that had devastating consequences on the institution. The bombings paralyzed learning, and students and teachers joined the call against Mussolini. Even some of the funds that were allocated to finance learning at the university were redirected towards supporting the war efforts. A section of the university was rebuilt.
According to the current global rankings, the university is placed at position 117, and given the university’s history of academic excellence, it receives thousands of applications every year. Among those who apply for degree programs at the university are non-Italians. Currently, the university has a student population that exceeds 87,000 people, and one thing that makes the institution stand out from some Italian universities is that it offers over 40 English-based courses. Thus, it appeals to the international students who might want to study English-based degree programs.
University of Bologna, given its past, remains a symbol of the strong spirit of the Italian people, and for the institution to compete, it needs to embrace new trends such as investing in research and development. Being an oldest university, the University of Bologna should be among the top 100 universities. As much as the institution is making efforts to invest in technology, it needs to come up with potent curricula that match the global standards. For several years, Harvard has managed to maintain a reputation of an institution that attracts elite students from across the world. University of Bologna should therefore learn from Harvard University on how to effectively adapt and build a strong global profile of academic excellence.