Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali "Guido Carli" (English: Free International University of Social Studies "Guido Carli"), known by the acronym "LUISS" or "LUISS Guido Carli", is a private university located in Rome, Italy, founded in 1974 by a group of entrepreneurs led by Umberto Agnelli.
It provides undergraduate and postgraduate education, in addition to a range of Double Degree programs, in the fields of finance, business, management, law, and political science. It is located near the historical center of the city, between the neighborhoods of Parioli and Trieste. The university is supported by Confindustria, the Italian Confederation of Industries.[3] Luiss has four different campuses: one in Viale Romania, one in Via Parenzo, one in Villa Blanc, and the last one in Viale Pola. It also has a library in Via Santa Costanza.
In 1974 a group of entrepreneurs led by Umberto Agnelli (the brother of Gianni Agnelli, who at the time was president of Confindustria), launched a project investing economic and intellectual resources in the establishment of a university. This university would be designed to offer undergraduate and postgraduate education that is geared toward the needs of the market.[4]
Luiss came out of a pre-existing university (Pro Deo University, founded in 1966), which was redesigned and renamed Luiss (an acronym for Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali, which means "Free International University of Social Studies") in 1977. Eventually, other public and private industrial groups, as well as some banks, joined the founders.[4]
The group of businessmen and bankers who had promoted and financed the birth of the project, as well as the transformation of the organization of the old Pro Deo University, into the more modern ones of Luiss University, as it is today, was established in 1985 in the current "Friends of Luiss". This has had since its inception SenatorUmberto Agnelli as its president, who was then succeeded by Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone (still in office), and plays a vital role in the collection and distribution of economic resources to be allocated to provide scholarships for students who have enormous potential but a lack of economic resources, and to ensure that the most brilliant Luiss graduates have the possibility of earning PhDs to dedicate themselves to scientific research with a view to an academic career or advanced professional activities.[5]
Guido Carli, former Governor of the Banca d'Italia, President of Confindustria, and later Senator was President of Luiss from 1978 until he died in 1993. His work was so highly esteemed that in 1994 the university changed its name to Luiss Guido Carli.[4]
Originally the university had only the faculties of Economics and Political Science, which added the faculty of Law in 1982. In 2011 an academic reorganization took place, which resulted in today's four Departments: Law, Business and Management, Economics and Finance, and Political Science. Today the university offers many courses entirely taught in English, such as 'Economics & Business' or 'Politics, Philosophy and Economics'.[4]
Luiss ranks among the top 100 European Business Schools, as stated by the Financial Times' official ranking.[6]
Luiss is ranked 14th in the world, 1st in Italy and 2nd in Europe in political science and international studies, according to the QS ranking 2023.
Top 46 worldwide in economics and management (QS ranking 2023)
Top 47 worldwide in law (QS ranking 2023)
It entered the top 100 of the world's most prestigious universities for the social sciences in 2022, doubling its position from 2021.
Ranked 1st in Italy among medium-sized universities, and 1st in Italy among private universities (Censis).
Since 2017, the university has climbed an average of more than 200 places in every field it teaches (according to the QS 2022 ranking by subject).
In late 2022, according to the Financial Times Master's in Management 2022 rankings, the university remains in the top 100 for all indicators and has moved up more than 20 places in one year, ranking 30rd.
Luiss joins the world's elite 15 universities in Politics and International Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023. The University's impressive rise continues as it now ranks in the top 50 positions globally for "Business and Management" and "Law" areas, having climbed more than 30 positions in one year.[7]
To attend a degree program at one of the four Departments at Luiss, candidates must pass an admission test. Each year a maximum number of places available is set and the admission test is done in two different sessions (one in February and one in May), after which a ranking by session is drafted, where each student has a score made up of their final grade in secondary school and their test score. Admission is based on the available slots and where selected students choose not to attend, other students are selected from the waiting list.
The admission test lasts 90 minutes and is made up of 100 multiple-choice questions measuring general culture (15%) and aptitude (85%). The subjects on the test are logic and reading comprehension; logical and mathematical aptitude and financial mathematics; numerical and spatial logic; abstract reasoning and critical/verbal skills; knowledge of general math and general culture (current events, history, literature, philosophy); and English.
On average, candidates admitted to Luiss are high achievers: 68.1% of students have a final secondary school average of over 90/100, compared to the national average of 24.6%.[8]
To be admitted to a master's degree, Luiss' graduates with degree grades of 100 or above can be admitted to degree programs without having to take an admission test, until all the available slots are taken. Graduates from other universities (for a maximum of 250) must take a written test to apply for admission.
The Department of Business and Management offers the following degree programs:
Bachelor's degree in Economics and Management (category L-18);[10] Management and Computer Science (category L-18);[11]
Master's degree in Business Management (category LM-77);[12] Management in English (category LM-77);[13] Accounting, Finance and Control (category LM-77);[14] Marketing (category LM-77);[15] Corporate Finance (category LM-77);[16] Global Management and Politics (category LM-77)[17]
The university has several autonomous postgraduate schools:
LUISS Business School is a school for professional management and a center of research and management consulting. It has its MBA program, various types of master's degrees, and ad hoc training courses for business customers;[23]
LUISS School of Government offers specific training, through the provision of four different master's degrees in the field of political processes and decision-making, both in the public and private sectors;[24]
The Massimo Baldini School of Journalism offers two-year programs that require enrollment in the journalism trainee program. At the end of the course (taught by professional journalists, academics, and technical specialists), the university confers a diploma.[26]
LUISS provides a wide network of corporate placement opportunities for its students and recently collaborated internationally for exploring students' dynamics for international experience. The first collaboration took place in December 2021 with TreeAndHumanKnot RisingIndia Think-tank.
Front of the Palazzina at Viale Pola – Rector's office
LUISS Guido Carli currently has five campuses in Rome.[27]
The historic campus is situated at Viale Pola12 (in the 1930s, this was the residence of Galeazzo Ciano and Edda Mussolini), which is referred to in most of the documents that mention the university. It continues to house the university's general management, administrative services, human resources, and academic support services. Also at this location are master's degrees, the School of Journalism and the Specialized School for the Legal Professions, as well as the Luiss Business School and LUISS University Press.
Villa Hertz – Viale Romania campus
The Viale Romania campus opened in October 2007 at Viale Romania 32, in the heart of the Parioli quarter in Rome. This campus has the largest number of buildings and students even though it has not yet been completed: only the first 9,420 m² out of the 28,000 m² planned are currently being used.[28] This campus (converted from a former school entirely redesigned as a university campus) houses the Departments of Business and Management, Economics and Finance, and Political Science, the Student Office, the Orientation Office, the Placement Office, Teaching and Research, International Relations and IT.
Via Parenzo campus
The Department of Law is located at Via Parenzo 11, which is not far from the historic campus of Viale Pola. The building was originally a hospital for blind war veterans (commemorated by a marble plaque inside the building). In the 1990s, Confindustria decided to take over the structure,[29] restoring the original plan and shape of the building while completely renovating the interior. The building was designed by Pietro Aschieri in 1929-1931 and renovated by Studio Passarelli 1990-93. Substantial parts of the interior were renovated to their original design.[30]
The newest Luiss campus is Villa Blanc, home to the LUISS Business School, at Via Nomentana 216. The campus was inaugurated in June 2018.[31]
There is also the campus located at Via di Santa Costanza, which houses a library that specializes in the economic, legal, political, and social sciences.[32] The Library has over 100,000 books, 1,800 journals, and 80 databases.[28]
Paolo Savona (economist, former Minister of Industry, President of Unicredit Bank of Rome)
Carlo Scognamiglio (former President of the Senate, Minister of Defense, Honorary President of the Italian Aspen Institute and of the Rizzoli-Corriere della Sera publishing group)
Vincenzo Scotti (politician, Minister of the Interior and Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs)
