The Polytechnic University of Milan is Italy's most comprehensive professional university. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and higher education courses in engineering, architecture and design. Founded in 1863, it is the most prestigious university in Milan. The Polytechnic University of Milan has two main campuses in Milan, Italy, where the priority of research and instructional activities are located, as well as other affiliated campuses in five different cities in the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions. The main offices and headquarters are established in the historic campus of Citta Studi in Milan, the largest and most active university since 1927. The college continues to be one of the largest universities in the world. The QS World University Rankings, as of 2020, ranked it 16th in the category of world's most trusted universities of technology, 3rd in Continental Europe after ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, 6th comprehensive for design, 7th for civil and structural engineering, and 7th rank for Mechanical Engineering course. Its well-known alumni include Nobel laureate Giulio Natta, Carlo Emilio Gada- a famous novelist, architect Renzo Piano and many others. The Polytechnic University of Milan was founded on 29 November 1863 by Francesco Briocchi, Director and Dean of the Ministry of Education. The University of Pavia. It was the earliest university in Milan. Its initial name was Istituto Tecnico Superior ("Higher Technical Institute") and taught only civil and industrial engineering. Architecture was introduced in 1865 in association with the Brera Academy. Only 30 students were enrolled in the first year and most of the trainees were male. In 1927 the university moved to Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, a district now recognized as the City of Studies, where the university's main facilities remain today. As Italy became a republic after World War II, the word Reggio was discharged. The ancient building still in use today was designed by engineers and architects and certified by the university itself.