Italy’s universities continue to fall behind in the global academic race, according to the latest Center for World University Rankings (CWUR). Of the 66 Italian institutions featured in the 2025 Global 2000 list, 80% dropped in the rankings.
Sapienza University of Rome leads Italy at 125th place, down one position from last year. The University of Padua (178th), Milan (191st), Bologna (204th), and Turin (242nd) also slipped. Only 10 Italian universities improved their rank. The main cause of decline is weak research performance, worsened by insufficient government funding and growing international competition.
Nadim Mahassen, CWUR President, noted: “Italy is well represented in the rankings, but its universities are losing ground due to poor strategic planning and limited investment in research. Without change, Italy will continue to fall behind in global higher education.”
Of the top 10 Italian universities, only 2 – University of Naples Federico II and University of Turin – improved on their 2024 rankings.
Part of a European trend
Italy’s struggle is part of a broader European trend. In the UK, 75% of universities fell in the rankings. Germany and France saw similar drops, with only a handful of institutions improving. Even Russia saw a decline, with 30 of its 43 ranked institutions dropping.
However, the real shift is happening elsewhere. China now has 346 universities in the Global 2000, more than any other country. An impressive 98% of Chinese universities improved their ranking, powered by sustained state investment in higher education and research. Top performers include Tsinghua University (37th) and Peking University (44th).
Meanwhile, the United States still dominates the top of the list. Harvard, MIT, and Stanford hold the top three spots, but the overall picture is deteriorating. Of the 319 American institutions ranked, 264 dropped in position, while only 40 improved. Funding cuts, political interference, and campus controversies are weakening U.S. academic leadership.
“American universities face a serious challenge,” Mahassen warned. “As China continues to rise, and the West struggles with complacency, the global education landscape is changing rapidly.”
Despite some standout performers like public establishments Cambridge and Oxford, European universities are slipping. Without renewed investment and a clear strategy, institutions across Italy and the wider West may lose their place on the academic world stage.
