The Rome University of Tor Vergata is celebrating its first 25 years. The university was founded outside the Roman ring road on the south-east side of the city and has quickly grown into the best equipped, if the most difficult to access, of the cities universities. Initially there were a few hundred students and today the various faculties count 40,000 with 30,000 degrees having been awarded in the first 25 years. Tor Vergata has a 600 hectare campus housing six faculties with 27 departments offering 116 degree courses and with 1,383 teaching staff.

The future plans for the university include a city of sport which is expected to host the World Swimming Championships in 2009, the building of accommodation for 2,795 students and the creation of an 80 hectare botanical garden along the lines of Kew Gardens in London.