Milan, Rome and Turin best cities for students in Italy. London tops in the world

Milan, Rome and Turin are the best cities for university students (including foreign ones) in Italy but far from the top of the world, London in particular. This is what emerges from the ranking published today by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, which compares 150 top study destinations on the basis of indicators relating to student feedback, universities, affordability, liveability, employment and diversity.

Italy, in fact, is far from the top, as it occupies positions beyond 50th place: in an absolute sense London remains the best student city in the world followed by Tokyo in second place and Seoul in third. Munich rises to fourth place, while Melbourne drops to fifth. Milan climbs one place to 52nd, Rome gains two places to 54th, while Turin falls one place to 68th.

In addition to the highest position nationally, Milan excels in the Employer Activity indicator, ranking 24th globally. This category shows which cities are most sought after by graduate employers, based on QS's annual survey of employers that identifies the institutions that produce the best graduates. Milan also boasts Italy's best results for the Ranking indicator, rising thirteen places to 44th globally, which reflects the collective performance of a city's universities in the QS World University Rankings©. "This indicator highlights the magnetism of universities in major cities and recognises the locations of the world's elite institutions," Qs explains. Milan also stands out for having the most diverse student population in Italy, ranking 59th in this category, which examines the composition of students from both a domestic and international perspective. Both Rome and Turin perform well in the Affordability category, ranking 57th and 52nd respectively. In contrast, Milan scored the worst nationally in this category, reflecting the importance of affordability for prospective students and their families. The high cost of housing for students and the high cost of living make Milan less desirable than Rome, which is among the top 50 in the world for affordability. The Desirability category assesses the attractiveness of each destination by considering factors such as safety, liveability and pollution to capture the different preferences of students and their parents.

All three Italian cities decline in the Student Mix indicator but improve in the Affordability indicator. Milan improves in all but one indicator, Rome improves in four out of six indicators, while Turin improves in only one. According to Ben Sowter, senior vice president of Qs, "Milan, Rome and Turin stand out in our ranking as the most attractive Italian cities for international students, as this ranking was designed specifically for them. Despite their distinct characteristics, these three cities share key elements: academic excellence, artistic and cultural richness and a vibrant social and nightlife scene, all of which international students find very attractive'.

For what reasons does London lead this ranking? For the high standard of universities, says Qs, which boast the second best Ranking indicator score after Seoul, for the excellent feedback from students and alumni, which places it third behind Berlin and Melbourne, and for a diverse and eclectic student population, which boasts the seventh best Student Mix score in the world. But also, Qs adds, for the 'outstanding career opportunities', which place the UK capital fourth in the employer activity rankings.