The University of Trento is an Italian public university founded in 1962 as a Higher University Institute for Social Sciences. It then became the first Faculty of Sociology in Italy. Special importance has been given to the international dimension of the university ever since its first years. The university has focused on the development of strategic international alliances in the view of complementarity. It has partnerships with prestigious universities and research centers all over the world and is part of important cooperation networks. University of Trento is ranked in both QS and Times Higher Education World Universities Rankings.