The University of Siena in Tuscany is one of the oldest universities in Italy.
Founded in 1240, the university underwent massive expansion in the 20th century, growing from a cohort of 400 students between the World Wars, to its current one of around 20,000-strong.
The number of faculties increased alongside student numbers, evolving from an original offering of medicine, surgery and law to a broad and diverse academic portfolio across 15 academic departments. Courses are taught in either Italian or English, and summer schools exist for professionals and students looking to develop their specific knowledge in many fields.
Much of the university is sited in renovated historical buildings, such as the departments of engineering, humanities and social sciences which use rooms in what was once the San Niccolò Psychiatric Hospital. Similarly, the former Convent of Santa Chiara, transformed to decades ago to create the first collegiate accommodation in Italy for the postgraduate students, hosts today the innovation lab of the University of Siena.