Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA)

Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati is also known as SISSA. The university’s full name translates as the International School for Advanced Studies. It was founded in 1978 in the Italian port city of Trieste. The university is surrounded by more than 100,000m2 of parkland, and offers views over the azure waters of the Gulf of Trieste.  

SISSA only admits postgraduate students, studying towards master’s or doctoral degrees. Research focuses on one of three main research areas: physics, neuroscience and mathematics. There are also three professional master’s degrees on offer: in science communication, in high-performance computing and in data management and curation. 

Research conducted by SISSA students and staff is regularly published in journals such as Nature and Science. 

There is no guesthouse or student dorm – nor is there a housing office. But students tend to find accommodation within a few weeks of their arrival, usually in rented apartments or flatshares.

The university provides a range of welfare grants and facilities, including: financial support for new mothers returning to their research after maternity leave; a nursery school; and 150 hours of paid study leave.

SISSA Club organises a welcome party, summer party and carnival party. It also offers individual instrument and singing lessons, language courses and a broad range of student clubs, including knitting and origami club, cineclub, Aikido and board-games club.