Glasgow, 11 September 2026:The 2026 edition of the EAIE Annual Conference and Exhibition, one of the leading international events dedicated to the internationalisation of higher education, has come to an end in Glasgow. It was a particularly significant edition for the Study in Italy Pavilion, coordinated by Uni-Italia in collaboration with INDIRE – the Italian National Agency for Erasmus+, which reached its highest level of participation to date.
From 8 to 11 September, the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow brought together more than 7,300 international higher education professionals, representing 1,200 organisations and 107 countries, across 250 exhibition stands. These figures confirm the growing scale and dynamism of the Conference and EAIE’s role as a key platform for exchanging experiences, building partnerships and developing new opportunities for cooperation in higher education.
Against this backdrop, the Study in Italy Pavilion provided a dedicated space to showcase Italy’s higher education offer and highlight its richness and diversity. This year, 40 Italian higher education institutions joined the Pavilion, marking a new record both in terms of its size and, most importantly, participation.
The Pavilion’s growth reflects the broader development of the EAIE Conference itself. As EAIE continues to attract an increasingly large and diverse international community, the Italian presence has also continued to strengthen, giving a growing number of Italian universities and higher education institutions the opportunity to engage with an international audience, meet potential partners and develop new academic and institutional relationships.
For Uni-Italia, this achievement is a source of particular satisfaction. Supporting an increasing number of Italian institutions in their internationalisation journeys and contributing to strengthening their presence on the international stage are at the heart of the Association’s mission. Participation in EAIE provides a concrete opportunity to connect different expertise, experiences and opportunities, while also showcasing the Italian higher education system as a whole.
The wider Italian institutional network in the United Kingdom also supported the Italian presence in Glasgow. Among the highlights of the Conference was the visit to the Pavilion by Luca Fratini, Consul General of Italy in Edinburgh, who met with the Italian universities and institutions taking part in EAIE. His visit was a further expression of the importance of a coordinated approach to promoting Italian higher education abroad.
Participation in EAIE 2026 went beyond exhibition activities. Throughout the Conference, Italian institutions had the opportunity to meet colleagues and international partners, establish new contacts and strengthen existing collaborations, helping to make the Pavilion a dynamic space for exchange and networking.
The results achieved in Glasgow therefore confirm a positive trend: the Italian presence in the international higher education community continues to grow, together with the interest of Italian institutions in the opportunities offered by international networks.
Uni-Italia would like to thank all the participating universities and higher education institutions, INDIRE, our partners and colleagues who contributed to the success of this edition of the Study in Italy Pavilion.
A record-breaking edition, and one that already looks ahead to the next appointment: EAIE 2027 in Lisbon.
