University of Parma

The University of Parma (Italian: Università degli Studi di Parma, UNIPR) is a public university in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is organised in nine departments. As of 2016 the University of Parma has about 26,000 students.

History

During the 13th-14th centuries there was an educational institution, studium, in Parma, but it was closed in 1387 by Gian Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. The university was opened in 1412 by Niccolò III d'Este, and, although no papal bull was issued, the degrees were granted. In 1420 Filippo Maria Visconti closed it again.

Although there were several attempts to revive the university, it functioned only as a "paper university", granting degrees without teaching. In 1601, the university was finally reopened by Ranuccio I Farnese, and the papal bill was given. It was a joint institution with a Society of Jesus, and a third of staff were teachers from a local Jesuit school, who taught in a separate building and by Jesuit curriculum. There were usually about 27-32 teachers and 300-400 students in the 17th century. Logic, natural history, mathematics and theology were taught by Jesuits and law and medicine by civil teachers.

In 1768, Ferdinand I expelled Jesuits and the curriculum was modernized.In 1831, the university was closed by Marie Louise due to students protests, and it was reopened only in 1854 by Louise Marie. The university consisted of the faculties of theology, law, medicine, physics and mathematics, philosophy and literature and schools of obstetrics, pharmacy and veterinary medicine.

After Risorgimento, there were too many universities in Italy, so they were divided into two grades; in 1862, the University of Parma was declared grade B, its financing was reduced and the quality of education degraded.[8] It was equalized with grade A universities only in 1887.