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Tracing its roots to the Academy of Physical Education founded in 1928 (later the State Institute of Physical Education and then the University Institute of Sports Science), the University of Rome "Foro Italico" became a full university and remains the only Italian institution — and one of very few in Europe — entirely dedicated to sport, physical activity, and health sciences. It is Rome's fourth public university, situated within the monumental Foro Italico sports complex, home to landmarks like the Olympic Stadium and Stadio dei Marmi. The university offers a single department (Movement, Human and Health Sciences) delivering a bachelor's degree in Sport and Exercise Sciences, several master's programs (including one taught entirely in English, the European Master in Health and Physical Activity), and PhD-level research in human movement science, rehabilitation, and public health. With roughly 2,000–2,500 students, it is deliberately small and highly specialized, drawing on its unique integration with world-class sports facilities for hands-on training.
Student life here is unlike any other Italian university, built entirely around sport, movement, and health. Students train and study inside a genuine Olympic-era sports complex, with direct access to eight gymnasiums, swimming pools, a rowing center on the Tiber, and the historic Stadio dei Marmi. Because the university is small, the relationship between students, faculty, and researchers is close and direct, fostering a tight community feel. Many students combine academic study with active participation in competitive or recreational sport, and the university has a strong internal sports association (Polisportiva) that organizes activities for the whole academic community. Being embedded in Rome also means students have full access to the city's cultural and social life, just with a distinctly athletic, health-oriented flavor to campus culture.