Host Alex Usher speaks with Katherine Isaacs, a former professor of history at the University of Pisa and former vice chair of the Bologna Follow-Up Group of the European Higher Education Area, about Italy’s higher education system, its distinctive characteristics, and the challenges it faces.

They discuss the structure and funding of Italian higher education, the role of the state in university governance and academic careers, and recent reforms intended to address concerns about academic hiring and nepotism. The conversation also explores graduate employment outcomes, regional inequalities, and the ongoing brain drain as talented Italian graduates seek opportunities abroad.

Isaacs also examines the expansion of private and online universities, including how these institutions are regulated and quality-assured, and the growing role of lifelong learning in Italian higher education. She reflects on the system’s often-overlooked strengths, including its high academic standards and relatively affordable tuition, and considers how Italian universities might evolve over the next two decades.

👉 Episode Links:

• The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area
• AlmaLaurea — Graduate Employment Data
• ANVUR — Italy's Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency
• Higher Education Strategy Associates | The State of Postsecondary Education in Canada 2026