Officially known as the Italian Republic, the country is found in southern Europe. The official language is Italian and the cultural rich capital is Rome. Many of the world's oldest universities are located in Italy, in particular the University of Bologna (founded in 1088). There are three Superior Graduate Schools with "university status", three institutes with the status of Doctoral Colleges, which function at graduate and post-graduate level.

Students who hold some secondary education credentials and wish to enter a specific profession might find themselves best served by a graduate diploma program. These courses often take a focused look at a subject over the period of one or two years.