Studying Eastern Europe in Italy: MIREES then and now
For students who want to specialise in Central-Eastern Europe, the Balkans or the post-Soviet space, one of the longest-running options in Italy is the master's known as MIREES, at the University of Bologna's Forlì campus.
Then
Around 2010, MIREES (Interdisciplinary Research and Studies on Eastern Europe) was a two-year, 120-ECTS programme taught in English, launched by the Faculty of Political Science "Roberto Ruffilli" with the support of the Europe and the Balkans International Network. It covered post-socialist transition, the 2004 and 2007 EU enlargements and the EU's eastern neighbours, and led to a joint diploma with Vytautas Magnus University (Kaunas), Corvinus University of Budapest and St Petersburg State University.
Now
- The degree continues as the University of Bologna's second-cycle programme East European and Eurasian Studies, still taught in English (120 ECTS).
- Students spend the first year in Forlì and a mobility period of several months at a partner university in the second year; recent documents mention Vytautas Magnus University and the University of Zagreb among the partners.
- Students learn an Eastern European language as part of the curriculum.
- Admission requires a three-year first-cycle degree (or a recognised foreign equivalent) plus curricular and language requirements; check the 2025 regulations for details.
Partners, fees and deadlines change from year to year, so always rely on the official pages.