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Italy

Introduction

The Italian academic system is strongly influenced by national regulations governing recruitment, accreditation, and career progression. Universities operate within a relatively centralised framework overseen by the Ministry of University and Research (Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca, MUR), while evaluation and quality assurance are coordinated by the National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research (ANVUR). Competition for permanent academic positions is high, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, and career advancement depends heavily on research output, publication record, teaching experience, and success in securing national and European research funding.

System landscape: Italy's higher education system is dominated by public universities, which account for the vast majority of students, academic staff, and research activity. Alongside universities, Italy hosts several important public research organisations, including the National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR).

Postdoc: Postdoctoral researchers in Italy are primarily employed through fixed-term research contracts, fellowships, and project-funded positions hosted by universities and public research institutes. Funding is commonly provided through national research programmes, university budgets, European Research Council (ERC) grants, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), and other European funding schemes.

Career progress: Academic careers typically progress from doctoral studies to postdoctoral research positions, followed by fixed-term researcher appointments (Ricercatore). Recent reforms have strengthened tenure-track-style pathways through positions such as Ricercatore Tenure Track (RTT), which may lead to appointment as Professore Associato (Associate Professor) following successful evaluation. The highest academic rank is Professore Ordinario (Full Professor).

Salaries and working conditions: Salaries are largely regulated through national public-sector frameworks and vary according to rank, seniority, and contract type. Academic staff are expected to balance research, teaching, supervision, administrative duties, and increasingly, participation in competitive grant applications and international collaborations.

Openness to non-nationals: Italy is increasingly open to international researchers, particularly through European funding programmes and internationally oriented research centres. However, Italian language proficiency is often advantageous for teaching responsibilities, institutional participation, and navigating administrative procedures. Recruitment processes may also be influenced by discipline-specific academic networks and national accreditation requirements, which can present challenges for scholars unfamiliar with the Italian system.

Job search: Academic vacancies are typically advertised through university websites, EURAXESS, and specialised academic job portals.

Higher Education Overview

The Italian higher education system is part of the broader European (Bologna-aligned) model and is relatively centralised, with strong national regulation of academic careers, recruitment, and quality assurance. Higher education policy is primarily coordinated at the national level by the Ministry of University and Research (Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca, MUR), while institutional quality evaluation and accreditation are overseen by the National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research (ANVUR). Universities operate within a highly standardised national framework, particularly in relation to hiring procedures and career progression.

Italian universities are predominantly public and constitute the core of the higher education system, accounting for most students, academic staff, and research activity. Alongside public universities, there is a smaller number of private institutions, which are particularly visible in fields such as business, law, and social sciences, but play a more limited role in the overall research landscape.

Research and postdoctoral employment in Italy are concentrated in universities and in a significant network of public research organisations. The most important of these is the National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR), which operates a large number of institutes across disciplines, including the humanities and social sciences. Additional public research bodies exist in areas such as economics, international relations, and public policy. These institutions, alongside universities, are key employers of postdoctoral researchers, often through fixed-term contracts and competitive national or European funding schemes (e.g., PRIN projects, ERC grants, and MSCA fellowships), which play a central role in structuring early-career academic trajectories.

Academic Career Structure and Progression

The Italian academic career system is relatively centralised and formally structured within the framework of national higher education and research policy. It is strongly shaped by national regulation of recruitment, accreditation, and career progression, alongside participation in European research and funding programmes. Academic careers are generally organised around a progression from doctoral training to permanent academic positions within universities or public research organisations, with research performance, publication record, teaching experience, and success in securing competitive national and European funding playing a central role at all stages.

Typical academic career pathway

1. Doctoral researcher (Dottorando di ricerca / PhD candidate)

Doctoral researchers in Italy are enrolled in structured PhD programmes (dottorato di ricerca), which typically last three to four years. PhD positions are usually funded through university scholarships, national competitive schemes, or European projects. Doctoral researchers are formally integrated into universities or research institutes and primarily focus on completing their dissertation, although limited teaching or tutoring activities may be included depending on institutional arrangements and funding conditions.

2. Postdoctoral researcher (Assegnista di ricerca / Postdoctoral fellow)

Postdoctoral positions in Italy are predominantly fixed-term and highly dependent on competitive funding at national, institutional, or European level. The most common form is the assegno di ricerca (research fellowship), although newer contractual categories are being introduced under recent reforms. Postdoctoral roles are primarily research-focused and involve producing publications, contributing to ongoing projects, and gradually developing research independence.

Teaching responsibilities are usually limited and vary across institutions. In addition to universities, postdoctoral researchers are frequently employed in public research organisations such as the National Research Council (CNR), where career structures may follow internal evaluation and project-based employment systems.

3. Tenure-track-like positions (Ricercatore Tenure Track / RTT)

Italy has recently introduced a more structured tenure-track-style pathway through the Ricercatore Tenure Track (RTT) position. This role is typically the first stable or semi-stable academic appointment after the postdoc stage and includes teaching, research, and supervision responsibilities. It is subject to formal evaluation processes that may lead to promotion to associate professor. Parallel research career tracks exist in universities and public research organisations, often based on project funding and competitive recruitment processes, with varying degrees of teaching involvement.

4. Associate Professor (Professore Associato)

Professore Associato positions are permanent academic roles requiring national scientific qualification (Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale, ASN) and successful recruitment through competitive procedures. These positions combine teaching, research, PhD supervision, and administrative responsibilities. At this stage, academics are expected to have an established publication record, demonstrated teaching competence, and active involvement in research projects and institutional governance.

5. Professor (Professore Ordinario)

Full professors (Professore Ordinario) represent the highest academic rank and require national qualification, a sustained record of internationally recognised research, leadership, and success in securing competitive funding. Professors typically hold significant responsibilities in research leadership, doctoral supervision, departmental governance, and institutional strategy, and are often central actors in national and international research networks.

Career expectations and progression

Across all stages, academic progression in Italy is strongly influenced by:

  • publication record and research impact
  • success in obtaining national and European research funding
  • national accreditation procedures (ASN)
  • teaching experience and supervision of master’s and PhD students
  • international mobility and research collaboration
  • participation in institutional governance and evaluation processes

Early-career researchers are generally expected to develop increasingly independent research profiles, while mid- and senior-level academics are evaluated more heavily on leadership roles, research funding, and institutional responsibilities. Formal accreditation procedures play a particularly central role in structuring academic progression compared to many other European systems.

Employment structure

Academic employment in Italy is largely based in public universities and public research organisations, with a high proportion of positions dependent on competitive funding and nationally regulated recruitment procedures. While permanent positions exist, early and mid-career stages are often characterised by fixed-term contracts, fellowships, and project-based employment.

National accreditation (ASN) functions as a key gatekeeping mechanism for access to permanent positions, creating a standardised but highly competitive career structure. Salaries and working conditions are regulated through public-sector frameworks, with relatively limited institutional variation compared to more decentralised systems.

Recruitment and selection

Academic recruitment in Italy is formally regulated and publicly advertised, with positions typically published through university channels and official national procedures. Selection processes are highly structured and include evaluation committees, formal assessment of research and teaching profiles, and competitive examinations or comparative evaluations. For permanent positions, candidates must first obtain national scientific qualification (ASN) before being eligible to apply. Selection procedures typically involve evaluation of publications, teaching experience, research activity, and interviews, often with participation of external experts and structured peer review.

Sources: https://www.euraxess.it/italy/research-italy-0

https://academicpositions.com/career-advice/italian-academic-job-titles

https://academicjobsitaly.com/en/infoacademia

https://www.unive.it/pag/28008/

Salaries

Academic salaries in Italy are regulated within a national public-sector framework and are largely standardised across universities and public research organisations. Salary levels are primarily determined by academic rank, contract type, seniority, and nationally defined pay scales, with relatively limited variation between institutions. Academic staff are generally public employees, and remuneration is structured through a combination of base salary and additional allowances linked to seniority and, in some cases, teaching or administrative responsibilities. Compared to more decentralised systems, individual salary negotiation is very limited, and career progression is closely tied to formal recruitment and promotion procedures.

Approximate gross monthly salaries (2025 estimates):

  • Doctoral researcher €1,100–1,500
  • Postdoctoral researcher €1,400–2,500
  • RTT €2,200–3,200
  • Associate Professor €3,000–4,500
  • Professor €4,500–6,500+

Additional benefits may include:

  • statutory 13 monthly payments per year (with a Christmas bonus; some institutions may include additional allowances depending on contracts)
  • public-sector pension contributions and social security coverage
  • seniority-based salary increments (scatti di anzianità)
  • additional remuneration for teaching overloads or administrative responsibilities
  • access to competitive national or European research funding and, in some cases, reduced teaching loads for research-active staff

Salaries and benefits vary depending on:

  • academic rank and employment category (fixed-term, RTT, associate, full professor)
  • national pay scales and public-sector contract regulations
  • research productivity and institutional evaluation systems (e.g. national research assessment exercises influencing funding allocation)
  • discipline and institutional profile (some variation across fields and universities)
  • seniority and accumulated service time

While early-career salaries are relatively standardised and non-negotiable, senior academic positions may include additional allowances, teaching load reductions, and institutional incentives linked to research leadership or administrative roles. However, overall flexibility in salary negotiation remains limited, with career progression largely determined by national accreditation procedures (ASN), competitive recruitment processes, and formal promotion pathways rather than individual contract negotiation.

Sources: https://www.academicjobs.com/it/salaries

https://www.unive.it/pag/fileadmin/user_upload/inglese/research/brain-gain/Salary_Levels_updated2022.pdf

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20230321143001600

Job Security

Permanent academic positions in Italy are relatively limited and highly competitive, particularly in comparison to the large number of short-term and project-based roles available at earlier career stages. Researchers typically spend several years in doctoral and postdoctoral positions, often moving between fellowships, fixed-term contracts (assegni di ricerca and other temporary research roles), and externally funded projects before obtaining stable employment. Unlike systems with unified tenure-track structures, Italy relies heavily on national qualification and recruitment procedures, particularly the Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale (ASN), which serves as a prerequisite for access to associate and full professorships. Once secured, permanent academic roles are generally stable and offer strong employment protection within the public sector. However, progression to permanent positions is often slow and depends both on accreditation and the availability of institutional posts, which can vary significantly across disciplines and universities.

Barriers for International Scholars

Italy is relatively open to international scholars, particularly within European research frameworks and EU-funded projects, but several structural and practical barriers may still apply:

  • Italian language requirements, especially for teaching and administrative responsibilities in public universities,
  • complex national accreditation and recruitment procedures, including ASN evaluation and formalised competition-based hiring processes,
  • highly bureaucratic administrative systems within universities and public research organisations,
  • strong importance of national academic networks and institutional affiliations in recruitment and career advancement,
  • uneven integration of international researchers into permanent academic career paths outside of EU-funded or externally financed positions.

At the same time, many Italian universities and public research institutes increasingly support internationalisation, particularly at the postdoctoral level and in research-intensive environments. English is widely used in research projects, international collaborations, and some doctoral programmes, especially within European-funded consortia and leading research centres such as the CNR.

Sources: https://www.jeduka.com/articles-updates/italy/challenges-faced-by-international-students-in-italy

https://monitor.icef.com/2026/01/italy-rises-as-a-study-destination-but-struggles-to-retain-foreign-graduates/

List of Universities and Research Institutions

List of Universities in Italy

Italy has a large and predominantly public higher education system comprising around 90 universities, most of which are state-funded public institutions. Public universities form the backbone of the system and are the primary employers of academic staff and researchers. The system is integrated into the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and follows the Bologna structure of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Higher education policy and academic recruitment are centrally regulated at the national level by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), with strong standardisation of hiring procedures and career structures across institutions.

Alongside universities, Italy has a significant public research sector, most notably the National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR), one of the largest public research organisations in Europe. Universities and public research institutes together constitute the main environment for postdoctoral employment and participation in nationally and internationally funded research projects.

Among Italian most prominent universities are:

  • University of Bologna
  • Sapienza University of Rome
  • University of Padua
  • University of Milan
  • University of Turin
  • University of Florence
  • University of Naples Federico II
  • University of Pisa
  • University of Trento
  • University of Rome Tor Vergata

In addition to its public universities, Italy has a number of private universities and specialised international institutions that are active in research and may offer postdoctoral or visiting researcher opportunities through institution-specific recruitment procedures. These positions are often advertised independently of national recruitment platforms, making it worthwhile to consult individual institutional websites and career pages. Notable examples include:

While these institutions generally employ fewer postdoctoral researchers than Italy's public universities, they may provide opportunities through externally funded research projects, international fellowships, and visiting scholar programmes.

Major Research Organisations

National Research Council (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, CNR) – Italy’s largest public research organisation, operating a wide network of institutes across natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. CNR institutes are major employers of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and are highly integrated into European research collaborations.

National Institute for Public Policy Analysis (INAPP) – A public research institute focused on labour markets, social policy, and economic research, with relevance for social sciences and policy-oriented research careers.

Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) – Italy’s central statistical agency, which also conducts research in economics, demography, and social sciences and offers research-oriented employment opportunities.

Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) – A leading policy research institute in international relations, diplomacy, and global affairs, often employing researchers and analysts in political science and related fields.

Fellowships and postdoctoral positions

Italy offers several nationally funded and institutionally structured schemes that play a central role in postdoctoral career development.

The Assegno di Ricerca is the most common form of postdoctoral funding in Italy. It is a fixed-term research fellowship hosted by universities or research institutions, supporting researchers in developing their academic profile through project-based work and publication activity.

The Ricercatore Tenure Track (RTT) system is a more recent reform introducing a structured pathway towards permanent academic employment. It provides a fixed-term but career-oriented research and teaching position, with evaluation-based progression to associate professor. Calls are announced and assessed through individual universities.

The PRIN (Progetti di Ricerca di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale) scheme funds nationally competitive research projects and often supports postdoctoral researchers through project-based contracts embedded within university research teams.

At the national level, the European Research Council (ERC) and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) are highly important and widely hosted in Italian universities and public research institutes. These programmes are particularly significant for internationally oriented postdoctoral careers.

Academic Job Portals and Professional Resources

General Academic Job Posting Websites

  • EURAXESS Italy – major European portal for academic mobility, postdoctoral positions, and research careers in Italy and across Europe
  • MIUR / MUR (Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca) – official ministry portal where national competitions (concorsi) and research funding calls are published
  • Gazzetta Ufficiale (Concorsi pubblici) – official state gazette where all public-sector academic positions must be formally advertised
  • University websites – most Italian universities publish vacancies and competitive calls (bandi) directly on their institutional HR pages
  • CNR recruitment portal – central portal for research positions at the National Research Council (CNR) and affiliated institutes

Discipline-Specific Resources

History

Economics

Law

Political and Social Sciences

Academic Unions

Additional Information

Gender and diversity

Italian universities have increasingly developed gender equality and diversity policies, driven by national legislation, institutional reforms, and European Union funding requirements. Most public universities are required to adopt formal equality plans (Piani di uguaglianza di genere), which address gender balance in recruitment, career progression, and institutional governance. These frameworks are also reinforced by EU research funding programmes, which require gender equality strategies as part of project eligibility criteria.

Despite these formal mechanisms, gender disparities remain persistent in Italian academia, particularly at senior levels, where women are still underrepresented among associate and full professors and in leadership positions. In response, many universities and research institutions have introduced initiatives such as mentoring programmes, equality committees, and measures aimed at improving work–life balance. Broader dimensions of diversity (e.g. migration background or minority status) are less systematically institutionalised, although awareness is gradually increasing, particularly within EU-funded projects and larger research centres.

Age and career timing

Academic careers in Italy are often characterised by extended early-career phases and delayed access to permanent positions. Researchers typically spend several years in doctoral and postdoctoral stages, often moving between fellowships (assegni di ricerca), temporary research contracts, and externally funded project positions before becoming eligible for more stable employment. As a result, many academics obtain permanent positions only in their mid-30s or later, and career trajectories are frequently nonlinear, shaped by successive competitions, mobility, and funding cycles.

Number of positions

The Italian academic system is marked by a strong imbalance between temporary and permanent positions. Fixed-term contracts, fellowship-based roles, and project-funded research positions significantly outnumber permanent academic posts. Competition for stable positions, particularly Professore Associato and Professore Ordinario, is intense, especially in the humanities and social sciences. At the same time, public research organisations such as the CNR and participation in European-funded projects provide additional postdoctoral opportunities, expanding the research labour market but not necessarily leading to long-term job security.

Resources on residence, taxes and social support

https://www.euraxess.it/italy/information-assistance

https://www.unimore.it/en/node/413

https://www.iusspavia.it/en/outreach/internationalization/international-students