NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

Glossary
Diploma di maturità
The so-called ‘maturity diploma’ is a school leaving qualification awarded on completion of upper secondary education. It has
different designations depending upon the type of upper secondary institutions attended. Any type of maturity diploma grants
access to any faculty of any university provided it has been acquired after a five-year upper secondary course (following five
years of primary and three years of lower secondary school). At present the diploma di maturità magistrale (teaching
orientation) and the diploma di maturità artistica, I e II sezione (artistic orientation) take just four years but they give
admission to only two university faculties. A supplementary fifth year (anno integrativo) of upper secondary studies entitles
previous holders of the four-year diploma to enroll in all university faculties.
Dottore/Dottoressa
The academic title conferred on everyone who has completed a laurea degree course. Therefore, there is the dottore in
architettura, in ingegneria, in lettere, etc., depending on the Laurea degree course taken.
Esame di laurea
Every student who has passed all the examinations included in a laurea curriculum is admitted to the esame di laurea, which
consists of the defence of a tesi (thesis) before the Faculty Council.
Istituti superiori di educazione fisica
Institutes granting degrees which entitle their holders to teach physical education at Italian schools of every type and at all
levels, provided they have also passed the relevant State professional examination (esame di abilitazione all’insegnamento).
Istituto universitario
University institutions normally including only a very limited number of faculties (one or two), e.g. the istituto universitario di
architettura di Venezia-IUAV, with only a faculty of architecture; the istituto universitario di lingue moderne-IULM, in Milan,
with the faculty of foreign languages and literature; the istituto universitario navale, in Naples, with the faculty of transport
economics and international trade and that of naval studies.
Laurea
Second level university degree. It is awarded when the prescribed
number of study years has been completed and all the examinations
of the curriculum plus the esame di laurea have been passed.
Perfezionamento (corsi di)
Advanced study courses run by universities in a variety of fields, on the basis of local cultural needs. They are generally
reserved for graduates with a laurea degree (post-Lauream studies), but at times may also be open to holders of a lower
qualification, provided it is at university level (e.g. a first university degree, like the new DU or a SDAFS university diploma).
They aim at providing opportunities for deeper study of and competence in certain subjects, or for updating as well as
retraining for certain professions. Admission may be subject to limitations. They do not result in the award of a formal
qualification: at the end of each course only a certificate of attendance is issued.
Politecnico
Technical university specialising in the two faculties of architecture and engineering. In Italy there are three politecnici, in
Bari, Milan and Turin.
Scuole dirette a fini speciali
The scuole dirette a fini speciali are an integral part of the university they belong to. They are meant to complement the
theoretical knowledge and competence usually offered by universities with the kind of professional training needed by the
different local contexts. After a two- or three-year course students are awarded a university diploma (diploma universitario)
entitling its holders to enter professions for which a laurea is not
necessary, but which nevertheless require specific professional training at university level.
Specializzazione (scuole di)