The University of Florence is an important and influential centre for research and higher training in Italy, with 1,800 lecturers and internal research staff, 1,600 technical and administrative staff, and over 1,600 research assistants and doctoral students. It offers over 130 Degree courses organised in 10 Schools, with a population of approx. 51,000 enrolled students, 25% from outside of Tuscany. Over 9,000 degrees are awarded each year in Florence.

The origins of the University of Florence date back to the Studium Generale set up by the Florentine Republic in 1321, which then became an imperial university in 1364. When the Medici came to power in Tuscany in 1472, it was exiled to Pisa. Charles VIII brought it back to Florence between 1497 and 1515. In 1859 a unified structure emerged in the shape of the Istituto Superiore di Studi Pratici e di Perfezionamento which was then officially granted the title of university in 1924.

Between 1924 and 1938 the university was organised into the Faculties of Agriculture, Architecture, Economics, Pharmacy, Law, Arts, Education, Medicine, Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences and Political Sciences. Engineering was added in 1970 and Psychology in 2002. As of January 1, 2013, according to Law 240/2010, all faculties have been abolished giving responsibility for providing teaching and services to Schools.