Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

What Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore does

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is a private, nonprofit Catholic university founded in 1921 in Milan, Italy, operating across five campuses (Milan, Rome, Brescia, Piacenza, and Cremona) and offering undergraduate, graduate, master's, doctoral, specialization, and continuing-education programs through 12+ faculties spanning economics, law, medicine, psychology, agricultural sciences, education, languages, mathematics and physical sciences, political science, and humanities. The university's offering includes an English-language Medicine and Surgery program in Rome (hosted in affiliation with the Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, one of Italy's largest teaching hospitals), as well as the International Doctoral Program in Science – a four-year PhD jointly delivered with KU Leuven, Notre Dame, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Universidad de Navarra. The affiliated operating entities include Educatt (student housing, dining, and life services) and Vita e Pensiero publishing.

The core digital ecosystem comprises the iCatt student portal (integrated with Microsoft 365/CloudMail and the Blackboard LMS), the UnicattX immersive 3D campus platform, an iCatt mobile app, and the online.unicatt.it portal for flexible online master's programs. Marketing and distribution rely on a hybrid community-led, direct-to-consumer GTM: orientation via Spazio Unicatt centers and Summer Experience, multi-channel paid and organic digital acquisition (Google, Meta, LinkedIn), podcasts (Rapporto Giovani, Italia 2050, Menti e Cambiamenti), the CattolicaNews media brand, and dedicated international and domestic admissions offices.

Revenue mechanics combine tuition and enrollment contributions (set on a merit- and means-tested annual basis, with fee reductions up to €5,000 available through the Invernizzi exemption in Agricultural Sciences), paid master's and continuing-education programs, government and EU research grants, and student-services fees routed through Educatt. The university ranked 9th in Italy and top 400 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027, with particular improvements in Citations per Faculty and Employer Reputation. Governance is independent; Elena Beccalli serves as Rector.

Name

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Legal name

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore

Website

https://unicatt.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1921

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is a private Catholic university in Italy, operating five campuses (Milan, Rome, Brescia, Piacenza, Cremona) that deliver undergraduate through doctoral programs across 12+ faculties to Italian and international students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Housing Marketing & Student Acquisition (BPAJAJAK), Transfer, Articulation & Credit Evaluation (EDALAAAH)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University degree programs
• Postgraduate education
• Continuing professional education
• Doctoral research programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Milan

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate program tuition, including contributions and financial aid programs. Students pay annual tuition based on merit and economic criteria. Fee reductions (esonero) available up to €5,000 for qualifying programs such as the Invernizzi exemption for Agricultural Sciences.
2. Master and Continuing Education: Revenue from postgraduate university masters, specialization schools, doctoral programs, and continuing education courses. Includes online masters delivered through the dedicated online portal.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Funding from government and private research grants, EU projects, and institutional research contracts supporting doctoral programs and research centers.
4. Student Services and Housing (Educatt): Revenue from student housing (collegi and residenze), dining services (mense), and other student life services managed through the affiliated entity Educatt.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore is a private Catholic university delivering higher education across five Italian campuses (Milan, Rome, Brescia, Piacenza, Cremona). It offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, single-cycle degrees (e.g., Medicine and Surgery), university master's programs (in-person and online), doctoral programs, specialization schools, continuing education, and summer schools. Student-facing services include the iCatt portal, Blackboard LMS, CloudMail, housing and dining via Educatt, and clinical training at affiliated Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS.

Product overview

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore operates as a multi-campus university system (Milan, Rome, Brescia, Piacenza, Cremona) offering a comprehensive digital ecosystem for students, faculty, and staff. The core student-facing platform is the iCatt student portal, which integrates with BlackBoard LMS for academic content delivery and provides access to email (@icatt/CloudMail), course registration, exam schedules, and student services. The university provides Microsoft Office 365 to students at no cost. Key digital products include Spazio Unicatt (orientation service), UnicattX (3D immersive campus exploration), Summer Experience (summer orientation programs), and Summer School (short intensive courses). Postgraduate offerings include University Master's Degrees (in-person and online formats) and the International Doctoral Program in Science (a multi-university Ph.D. program). Student services are accessible through the Polo Studenti centers and the iCatt mobile app. The university operates dedicated library systems, research publication platforms (Publires, Publicatt), and laboratory services (ilab).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iCatt: Student portal providing access to email, study plans, course information, and university services
• CloudMail
• UnicattX
• Spazio Unicatt

Products and services

• Undergraduate and Single-Cycle Degree Programs (Lauree triennali e a ciclo unico)

Quantifiable outcome

• 816 mentorship pairs formed over 10 years through the MyMentor program
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universidad de NavarracoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Universidad de Navarra joined the International Doctoral Program in Science consortium starting from academic year 2025-2026, expanding the European partnership within the program and adding a fifth partner university to the consortium.
• KU LeuvencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2016KU Leuven is a key partner in the International Doctoral Program in Science (IDPS) consortium alongside UCSC, Notre Dame, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and Universidad de Navarra. The consortium, established in 2016, promotes international research mobility and interdisciplinary science projects. UCSC serves as the administrative headquarters of the program. The partnership was renewed in 2020 and expanded to include engineering colleges from KU Leuven.
• University of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2016Notre Dame is a founding partner of the International Doctoral Program in Science (IDPS) consortium. The partnership enables student and researcher mobility between Italy and the United States, supporting interdisciplinary research projects in physics, chemistry, biology, environmental science, and mathematics.
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (PUC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2016PUC Chile is a founding partner of the IDPS consortium, enabling Latin American research collaboration and student exchange within the program. PUC joined via its colleges of engineering as part of the 2020 expansion.
• Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 May 2016The university is affiliated with the Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS in Rome, one of Italy's largest and most important teaching hospitals. This partnership is central to the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery's clinical training program and enables the Medicine and Surgery degree taught in English.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft provides the university's email and productivity infrastructure through Office 365 (Exchange Online) under the Student Advantage program. Students receive free Office Professional Plus 365 on up to 5 devices. The university uses Microsoft Azure AD for identity management across its portals (iCatt, Intranet, PPD).
• Camera Arbitrale di MilanominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Camera Arbitrale di Milano for conferences and professional education on insolvency and financial over-indebtedness topics, with joint events organized at the university's Milan campus.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Universidad de Navarra: Private Spanish Catholic comprehensive university and IDPS consortium partner. Comparable in Catholic affiliation, comprehensive offering, and doctoral research collaboration model.
• KU Leuven: Leading European research university and founding IDPS consortium partner. Comparable in doctoral research intensity and cross-border scientific collaboration model, though publicly funded and broader than Catholic private peers.
• University of Notre Dame: US private Catholic research university and founding IDPS consortium partner. Comparable in Catholic affiliation, comprehensive offering, and emphasis on graduate research training with international partners.
• Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile: Major Chilean Catholic research university and IDPS consortium partner. Comparable in Catholic identity, doctoral research intensity, and multi-campus Latin American/European research linkages.

Emerging players

• Hult International Business School: Private international business school with global campuses and strong master's program offering. Comparable in private status, English-language master's targeting, and emphasis on practitioner-oriented postgraduate education.

Direct peers

• Università Cattolica dello Spirito Santo (Milan campus peers cluster): Other Catholic/faith-based private institutions in Europe (e.g., Catholic University of Portugal, Sacred Heart University US). Comparable in mission, non-state funding model, and student-facing orientation toward values-based education.
• Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi: Premier private Italian university headquartered in Milan, focused on economics, business, and law. Closest direct peer to UCSC by city, private status, and Italian private-higher-education competitive set, though narrower in disciplinary scope.
• LUISS Guido Carli: Private Italian university in Rome specializing in social sciences, economics, law, and political science. Comparable as a private, Rome-based Italian institution competing for the same domestic undergraduate and master's talent pool.
• Libera Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele: Private Italian university in Milan affiliated with San Raffaele Hospital. Comparable as a private Italian university with strong hospital affiliation, competing for medical and life-science talent in the same metro.

Regional players

• Politecnico di Milano: Leading public technical university headquartered in Milan, competing for STEM talent in the same metro area. Comparable as a top-tier Italian university serving overlapping student segments, though publicly funded and STEM-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/unicatt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/younicatt
• Facebookfacebook.com/unicatt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catholic-university-of-milan
• Instagraminstagram.com/unicatt

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore