After having regained the qualification of first grade University in 1887, the Faculties of Law, Medicine and Surgery, Physical, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Veterinary and Pharmacy are active in Parma throughout the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. Starting from the end of the 19th century, the University began its further development process, which grew decisively in the 20th century. Having overcome the moments of difficulty that occurred in the Fascist period, development resumed with force after the Second World War, also thanks to the active and constant work of the city in defense of its University institution. In fact, there has been a significant and progressive increase in the training offer, and it is in recent years that the University, from the main location of the courses in the headquarters in via Università, has started a progressive diffusion in the city fabric.
In 1965 the Faculty of Economics and Commerce (founded in the academic year 1954-1955 based on the first floor of the central building of the University) moved to its current location in via Kennedy, also thanks to the donation of the land by the Municipality of Parma, while the Faculty of Education was founded in 1964, which later became of Letters and Philosophy from the 1989-90 academic year. In 1986 the Faculty of Engineering was established, more recently those of Agriculture (a.y. 1993-94), Architecture (a.y. 1999-2000), Psychology and Political Sciences (a.a. 2005-06). Also worth mentioning is the establishment, in 1998, of the European College of Parma (now the European College Foundation).
From the seventies the University expanded: in the Pilotta complex, in via Cavour, in Borgo Carissimi, up to viale San Michele.
Between the seventies and the eighties the University proceeded with the acquisition of the agricultural area of 77 hectares, in the southern area of the city, on which the current Science and Technology Campus would rise. Thanks to important state fundings, the first structures intended as halls and laboratories for the Chemistry, Physics and Biology hubs are built there.
In the eighties, thanks to the generosity of the entrepreneur and patron Pietro Barilla, the campus of the Faculty of Engineering developed: Barilla donated eight billion lire in two tranches – the highest donation from a private individual to a public university in the history of the country – for the construction of the teaching center of the faculty, which since then has trained highly professional technicians capable of promoting and managing technological innovation.
Over time, the Campus has been enriched with numerous complexes for advanced teaching and research, study spaces, libraries, canteens and sports facilities. Today the Science and Technology Campus is the heart of development and innovation for the whole territory: there are four scientific departments (Engineering and Architecture; Food and Drug; Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability; Mathematical, Physical and Computer Sciences), various research centers, the Technopole of the University, essential for the connection between research and production fabric (the "labs" of the University's partner companies also find space in research activities), and numerous sports facilities managed by the University Sports Center (CUS Parma) available to students and citizenship.
In its millenary activity, in the evolution that has characterized its development, in the perspectives that outline its future, the University of Parma constantly manifests its institutional mission: to be a place of study and research oriented both to education and training of young people and the harmonious development of the society in which it is involved.
As regards the training offer, the constant increase in attractiveness is particularly significant, also due to the important process of requalification and expansion of the number of courses, started on the basis of a continuous dialogue with the world of work, at the local, national and international level. In line with this concept, some of the new courses of study activated were carried out through a strong synergy with other universities in the Region.
We must also mention the wide diffusion of cultural initiatives for scientific dissemination defined as "Third mission" and the intense cooperation activity within the European Union programs and other international projects, with a strong impulse towards internationalization.
All this, the numerous services for students (advising and guidance, computer labs, the language center, libraries and study halls, foreign language courses, the possibility of studying abroad and several online services), attention to quality teaching, innovation, research quality and the needs of the labor market make the University one of the most important and well-known university centers in Europe.