Marche Polytechnic University aims for internationalization, but foreign students’ rights are faltering

Italian public universities have been experiencing a deep crisis for years: between 2013 and 2023, they lost 19,000 enrollments, while private universities gained 22,000. Online universities gained as many as 180,000. The 2023 ANVUR Report highlights that the decline is more severe in Southern Italy, with decreases of over 30% in Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, and Sicily.

To reverse the trend, medium-sized universities are focusing on flexibility and internationalization: blended teaching and courses in English aim to attract non-EU students. The allocation of the Ordinary Financing Fund also rewards international mobility: in 2024, the Marche Polytechnic University received an additional €234,330 thanks to the increase in foreign enrollments.

In its 2025 strategic plan, the Marche Polytechnic University declared its intention to become a "center of excellence for the local and international community," investing in the three-year English-language course “Digital Economics and Business” (DEB). Among over 12,000 pre-evaluation applications, 8,500 were admitted (double that of the previous year): 45% came from Ethiopia, 20% from Pakistan, and 7% from India. Today, the 800 DEB enrollees represent the core of the university’s international mobility, with a total of 1,300 foreign students.

The increase in incoming students brings significant challenges: the Caritas of Ancona-Osimo reports that 7.1% of the guests at the Santo Stefano Caritas Soup Kitchen are foreign students, many in serious distress. Of the 107 international students who requested Caritas services, 25 declared themselves homeless. This situation conflicts with the requirements for obtaining a residence permit for non-EU students, which necessitates a registered address. A significant rise in the international student population, if not matched by adequate support measures such as study rights, social welfare, and improvements in the university housing context in Ancona, leads to increased social hardship and unsustainable pressure on already insufficient services. The lack of an adequate support system is hindering the integration of international students, making their stay and well-being in the local community difficult.

The right to education suffers due to ERDIS deadlines not aligned with visa issuance timelines and a lack of student information regarding the scholarship call (according to an internal survey, over 40% did not apply due to lack of information).

The right to housing is hindered by ethno-racial discrimination: 95% of foreign students struggle to find housing, and 22.7% report discrimination from landlords or current tenants. Lastly, the right to health is strained by the increase in the cost of enrolling in the National Health Service (SSN) from €150 to €700, with 63.6% opting for often inadequate private insurance policies.

As an independent political collective, we consider it unacceptable that the Marche Polytechnic University aims to enhance its international appeal to meet the demands of the education market without first making substantial investments in the fundamental and structural measures needed to ensure decent living conditions for the foreign students it welcomes. The university must review existing welfare tools, starting with the Carlo Urbani Fund, adjusting amounts and eligibility criteria, and aligning the timing of ERDIS calls with the lengthy bureaucratic procedures international students face to arrive in Ancona. Furthermore, it will be essential to establish a dedicated fund for SSN enrollment to ensure broader healthcare coverage for foreign students, expand the housing supply through dedicated student accommodations, and provide clear and detailed bureaucratic guides.