The University of Ferrara is a public university in Ferrara, Italy. It was founded in 1391 and is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It specializes in the fields of humanities and social sciences, offering a wide range of degree programmes and research opportunities. It has five departments, 11,000 students, and 600 staff members. It is also part of several international networks and consortia, such as the CIVIS alliance and the European University Association. It has a strong focus on innovation, humanism, and social inclusion.

Some of the features of the University of Ferrara are:

- It offers 79 undergraduate programmes, 73 master's degree programmes, 38 doctoral programmes, and more than 140 vocational and postgraduate courses. Some of these programmes are taught entirely or partially in English, or are part of international networks that award double or joint degrees.
- It has 31 research centres and 62 research laboratories, covering various disciplines such as law, economics, political science, education, cultural heritage, tourism, languages, history, and philosophy. It also participates in national and international research projects and networks, such as Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+.
- It has a network of museums, libraries, and cultural centres, such as the Museum of Natural History, the Botanical Garden, the University Press, and the Confucius Institute. It also organizes cultural events, such as exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and festivals.
- It provides various services and support for students, such as counselling, tutoring, scholarships, and accommodation. It also promotes student mobility, exchange, and internship programmes, both within Europe and outside. It has agreements with more than 300 partner universities and institutions around the world.
- It is committed to social responsibility and sustainability, both in its teaching and research activities and in its management and governance. It has adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals as its strategic framework and has signed the Magna Charta Universitatum and the European Charter for Researchers.