In the field of information technology, the number of graduates has risen by 860% and the number of students enrolled by 470% over the past ten years

Over the last ten years, enrolment at online universities has risen by almost 470%, and the number of graduates by as much as 860%, now accounting for 18% of all Italians who obtain a higher education qualification. This is the picture that emerges from the first Censis-United report on digital education, which was presented on Monday 15 June in Rome at the Chamber of Deputies.

According to the study, which surveyed 3,993 graduates from the seven online universities affiliated with United (Pegaso, Mercatorum, San Raffaele Roma, IUL, eCampus, Leonardo Da Vinci and Giustino Fortunato), digital universities no longer represent merely an alternative way of accessing education, but an increasingly significant response to both changes in the workplace and the need for continuous skills development. According to those directly involved – of whom over half the sample (57.1%) hold a three-year degree, 53.7% are women and almost 40% are aged 46 or over – online universities meet a demand for education that is rarely met by traditional academic pathways.

In fact, 45.1% of the graduates surveyed state that, without the option of studying online, they would not have obtained their degree, whilst 39.4% believe they would have taken longer to complete their degree. Finally, a further 15.5% are convinced that they would have graduated regardless of the mode of study chosen. The assessment of the university experience is largely positive: over 9 in 10 graduates say they are very or fairly satisfied with their course. The most appreciated aspects are the ability to balance study, work and personal life (82.5%) and autonomy in managing one’s studies (47.7%).

The Censis-United report also reveals striking figures regarding the scale of the phenomenon. In the 2024/2025 academic year, enrolment at online universities exceeded 309,000, accounting for 15.3% of all Italian university students, compared with 3.2% ten years earlier. Over the course of a decade, enrolment in online universities has grown by almost 470%, whilst the number of graduates has increased by over 860%, now accounting for 18% of all Italian graduates. The growth in female enrolment is also particularly significant. Whilst in 2019 women still represented a minority among graduates of online universities, today they account for 53.1% of the total. This figure indicates – according to the study – that digital education is expanding opportunities for university access, including for many women juggling work, family and career development.