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University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
A historic university with a modern global vision
The University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia), often called UNIMORE, is one of the oldest yet most forward‑looking public Italian universities. Founded in 1175 and re‑established in the seventeenth century, it has grown into a research‑driven institution with strong international links. Each year, thousands of students choose UNIMORE’s English‑taught programs in Italy to study in Italy in English and join a community focused on innovation, inclusion, and real‑world impact.
Academic excellence across centuries
UNIMORE consistently earns places in major global rankings for research output and teaching quality. It is particularly strong in engineering, life sciences, economics, and humanities. The university maintains partnerships with over 300 institutions worldwide, encouraging exchange programmes and joint research. Its modern laboratories, digital libraries, and interdisciplinary centres help scholars tackle complex problems in health care, mobility, sustainability, and artificial intelligence.
A dual‑campus advantage
The university operates two main campuses—Modena and Reggio Emilia—located just 30 minutes apart by train. Students benefit from double resources: specialist faculties in each city, joint events, and shared career services. Key departments include:
- Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari” (automotive, mechanical, and materials)
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences (environmental technology)
- Department of Life Sciences (biomedical research and biotechnology)
- Department of Economics “Marco Biagi” (business analytics and finance)
- Department of Education and Humanities (languages, social policy, arts)
English‑taught programmes in Italy: What UNIMORE offers
UNIMORE currently delivers more than a dozen full master’s courses and several bachelor’s tracks entirely in English. Popular options range from Automotive Engineering and Advanced Automotive Electronic Engineering to International Management, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Analysis for Economics. Course directors design syllabi with an eye on industry needs, ensuring students develop technical depth and soft skills useful worldwide.
Small class sizes foster direct interaction with professors who often carry out cutting‑edge research funded by the European Union and private companies. Many modules blend lectures with project work, allowing students to apply knowledge to real data, prototypes, or policy cases.
Living and learning in Modena and Reggio Emilia
Compact, student‑friendly cities
Modena and Reggio Emilia share Emilia‑Romagna’s warm hospitality, rich cuisine, and human‑scale urban planning. Both centres are walkable and cycle‑friendly, with dedicated lanes and rental schemes. Students enjoy a lower cost of living than in Milan or Rome: shared flats near campus, discounted canteen meals, and affordable cultural passes keep budgets under control.
Climate and transport
The climate is temperate continental, bringing hot summers perfect for outdoor festivals and mild, misty winters ideal for museum visits. High‑speed trains connect the campuses to Bologna in 20 minutes, Florence in an hour, and Milan in under two hours. Local buses and regional trains run late, helping students balance study, social life, and travel.
Culture and leisure
UNIMORE students quickly discover treasures such as Modena’s UNESCO‑listed cathedral, Reggio’s modern art galleries, and dozens of theatres, jazz clubs, and literary cafés. Food culture is legendary—think balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and fresh pasta. Weekly language tandems, Erasmus socials, and volunteering projects make integration smooth for newcomers.
Student experience and support
International students receive guidance from dedicated offices on visas, residence permits, and accommodation. Welcome Weeks, buddy schemes, and Italian language courses aid cultural adjustment. Libraries stay open late, group‑study rooms can be booked online, and digital platforms provide lecture recordings and career advice.
Sport is another pillar of campus life: fitness centres, football leagues, volleyball teams, and even rowing on the Secchia River encourage a balanced lifestyle.
Job and internship landscape
Industries that power the region
Emilia‑Romagna is a powerhouse of advanced manufacturing and services. Key sectors include:
- Automotive and motorsport: Ferrari, Maserati, Ducati, and dozens of specialist suppliers are headquartered nearby.
- Food technology: Barilla, Mutti, and local artisan producers recruit graduates skilled in quality control and supply‑chain analytics.
- Ceramics and materials: The “Tile Valley” between Modena and Sassuolo is Europe’s largest ceramic district, demanding engineers and sustainability experts.
- Healthcare and biomedical: Public hospitals and private R&D labs collaborate with UNIMORE’s medical faculty on robotics, regenerative medicine, and public‑health data.
- Digital and AI: Start‑ups at Modena’s Technopole and Reggio’s Innovation Hub focus on smart manufacturing, fintech, and green mobility.
How students benefit
UNIMORE’s Career Service arranges over 3,000 internships annually. Many begin in the second semester, combining academic credit with paid experience. Career fairs, hackathons, and project challenges let students pitch directly to HR teams. Graduates often find full‑time roles in the same firms, supported by Italy’s “Blue Card” pathway for non‑EU talent seeking long‑term residency.
Scholarships, DSU grant, and financial support
While tuition fees at UNIMORE are already moderate compared with many Western institutions, further help is available. The Emilia‑Romagna regional authority offers the DSU grant, which can waive fees and provide monthly allowances for rent and meals. The university also awards merit scholarships for high‑performing international students and research bursaries tied to departmental projects. Application procedures are clear, with online portals and English‑speaking staff ready to assist.
Why choose UNIMORE and Emilia‑Romagna?
- Balance of heritage and innovation: Study in medieval halls equipped with 5G labs and 3D‑printing studios.
- Strategic location: Two dynamic cities offering affordable living yet easy access to Italy’s main economic corridors.
- Industry‑linked curriculum: Faculties co‑design courses with Ferrari, Tetra Pak, and the Italian National Research Council, ensuring skills that employers trust.
- Supportive environment: Scholarships for international students in Italy, personalised tutoring, and vibrant student associations create a welcoming atmosphere.
Choosing UNIMORE means entering a community where academic curiosity meets real‑world challenges, and where quality of life matches educational ambitions.
In two minutes we’ll confirm whether you meet the basic entry rules for tuition-free, English-taught degrees in Italy. We’ll then quickly see if we still have space for you this month. If so, you’ll get a personalised offer. Accept it, and our experts hand-craft a shortlist of majors that fit your grades, goals, and career plans. Upload your documents once; we submit every university and scholarship application, line up multiple admission letters, and guide you through the visa process—backed by our admission-and-scholarship guarantee.
Digital Automation Engineering at University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
Enter the World of Industry 4.0
English‑taught programs in Italy are expanding fast, and Digital Automation Engineering (LM‑25) is one of the most future‑oriented. Offered entirely in English by the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia), this two‑year master’s gives you the know‑how to design, integrate, and manage advanced automation systems—skills urgently needed by factories and laboratories worldwide. Because you study in Italy in English within a highly ranked public university, you gain world‑class training without the high fees common elsewhere. Many students even pay little or nothing in tuition thanks to the DSU grant and other scholarships for international students in Italy, making the experience comparable to that of tuition‑free universities Italy often highlights in international outreach.
What Is Digital Automation Engineering?
Digital automation blends mechanical engineering, electronics, computer science, and data analytics to make machines and processes faster, safer, and smarter. Think robots that learn in real time, production lines that fix themselves, warehouses managed by autonomous vehicles, and buildings that regulate energy autonomously. This master’s covers every layer—sensors, controllers, industrial networks, data platforms, and cyber‑physical systems—so you graduate equipped to lead Industry 4.0 projects from concept to commissioning.
Programme Structure at a Glance
- Duration: Two academic years (120 ECTS)
- Language of instruction: English
- Core areas: Industrial robotics, control engineering, machine vision, embedded systems, data analytics, cyber security
- Hands‑on learning: Lab courses, hackathons, industry case studies, paid internships
- Capstone: Six‑month thesis project often co‑supervised by companies in Italy’s Motor Valley
The degree draws equally on theory and practice. Each semester couples lectures with lab sessions using programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial robots, collaborative robots (cobots), machine‑vision cameras, and digital twins. By year two, you choose electives to deepen expertise in smart manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, or industrial AI.
Core Modules: Building a 360‑Degree Skillset
Industrial Control and Automation
Learn PID, model predictive control, and adaptive strategies. Implement them on PLCs and real servo drives, tuning parameters for speed, precision, and energy efficiency.
Robotics and Mechatronics
From forward kinematics to robot programming in ROS, master motion planning, force control, and human–robot collaboration. Projects include programming a cobot to assemble components and calibrating vision‑guided robotic arms.
Embedded Systems and Real‑Time Computing
Design microcontroller‑based boards, deploy Linux on ARM processors, and optimise code for millisecond‑level response. You also explore edge‑AI acceleration.
Machine Vision and Deep Learning
Integrate industrial cameras, build object‑detection pipelines, and use convolutional neural networks to check quality on fast‑moving conveyor belts.
Industrial IoT and Cyber‑Physical Systems
Set up field buses (PROFINET, EtherCAT), OPC UA servers, and MQTT brokers to stream data to cloud dashboards. Implement security policies to safeguard IP and ensure safety compliance.
Data Analytics for Smart Manufacturing
Use Python, SQL, and Apache Spark to clean sensor data, build predictive‑maintenance models, and visualise KPIs that underpin lean‑production decisions.
Electives: Tailor Your Expertise
- Human‑Robot Interaction: Study ergonomics, collaborative safeguards, and ISO safety standards.
- Autonomous Mobile Robots: SLAM algorithms, navigation, and fleet scheduling in warehouses.
- Advanced Additive Manufacturing: Integrate 3‑D printing cells with MES (manufacturing‑execution systems).
- Energy‑Efficient Automation: Design mechatronic architectures that save power and recover braking energy.
- Entrepreneurship and Tech Transfer: Turn research prototypes into marketable products—perfect if you plan to found a start‑up.
Choosing electives lets you specialise without losing the broad competence that employers expect from automation engineers.
Lab Facilities and Research Hubs
The university’s Smart Manufacturing Hub offers:
- Robotics Arena: Six‑axis industrial robots, cobots with force‑sensing wrists, and mobile manipulators.
- Industrial Network Lab: Switch racks and PLC arrays for network‑security experiments.
- Vision Studio: High‑speed cameras, 3‑D scanners, IR sensors, and lighting rigs.
- Digital‑Twin Zone: Workstations with commercial CAD/CAE suites and VR headsets for immersive commissioning.
- Startup Garage: 24/7 makerspace with 3‑D printers, laser‑cutting, and mentorship for entrepreneurial projects.
Collaboration across mechanical, electronic, and computer‑engineering departments fosters cross‑pollination of ideas, giving you a chance to publish research or file patents before graduation.
Hands‑On Projects and Internships
From the first semester, you code PLCs, wire sensors, and deploy algorithms on real machines. Mid‑course, you participate in an industrial hackathon: teams get 48 hours to fix a real‑world automation challenge, pitching solutions to engineers from Ferrari, Maserati, or Siemens. In year two, a compulsory internship (3–6 months) places you inside automotive plants, packaging lines, biomedical labs, or renewable‑energy companies. Tasks may include:
- Commissioning a vision‑inspection cell that reduces defects by 80 %
- Programming AGVs (automated guided vehicles) to cut material‑handling time by 40 %
- Integrating edge‑AI for anomaly detection in high‑speed machining
Internships frequently convert into job offers, giving you a springboard to global careers.
Career Outlook: High Demand, Global Mobility
Digital automation engineers rank among the most sought‑after profiles in manufacturing, logistics, and energy sectors. Graduates typically secure roles such as:
- Automation Engineer or Control Systems Specialist
- Robotics Integration Engineer or Application Developer
- Industrial IoT Architect or Cyber‑Physical Systems Lead
- Smart‑Factory Data Analyst or AI Engineer
- Technical Project Manager or Consulting Engineer
- Entrepreneur launching Industry 4.0 solutions
With automation spending projected to exceed €250 billion by 2030, the skillset you acquire is future‑proof and geographically transferable—EU Blue Card frameworks ease mobility for high‑skilled STEM graduates.
Study Path Snapshot
- Semester 1: Core automation, control, and programming.
- Semester 2: Robotics, vision, industrial networking; project hackathon.
- Summer: Optional internship or research assistantship.
- Semester 3: Electives, data analytics, and entrepreneurship.
- Semester 4: Internship plus thesis in collaboration with industry.
- Graduation: Present thesis to a panel—often with company supervisors in attendance.
Soft Skills and Professional Development
Beyond tech expertise, employers value leadership, communication, and ethics. The programme includes:
- Project‑management workshops—Agile, Scrum, and change‑management frameworks.
- Engineering ethics seminars—safety, privacy, and environmental impact in automation.
- Presentation labs—learn to pitch technical concepts to non‑engineers and investors.
- Italian language crash course—optional but helpful for daily life and teamwork on local sites.
These extras round out your profile so you can thrive in multidisciplinary settings.
Future‑Proof with Digital Automation
Manufacturers worldwide aim to cut downtime, boost efficiency, and improve sustainability—goals powered by digital automation. By mastering robotics, AI, and cyber‑physical integration at a public Italian university, you gain both credibility and practical competence. You will graduate ready to design smart factories, optimise operations, and invent the next generation of industrial technology.
Ready for this programme?
If you qualify and we still have a spot this month, we’ll reserve your place with ApplyAZ. Our team will tailor a set of best‑fit majors—including this course—and handle every form and deadline for you. One upload, many applications, guaranteed offers, DSU grant support, and visa coaching: that’s the ApplyAZ promise. Start now and secure your spot before this month’s intake fills up.
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