The Bologna Process and Internationalization – Consequences for Italian Academic Life

The main aim of this study was to explore if there is a connection between the Bologna Process and the internationalization themes and practices of Italian academic life from an academic's point of view. The study was based on a qualitative approach and the interview data were analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The following main themes emerged concerning the internationalization of Italian academic life: the internationalization of teaching and studies, student and staff mobility, and the internationalization of academic work and career. The Bologna Process seems to have both direct and indirect consequences for internationalization. The international student and teacher exchanges have become easier but at the same time the pressures of academics' work have increased in teaching and research.