Abstract

Asfe is a University of Bologna-based academic database developed by numerous researchers. It started in the 1990s with the aim to provide an accurate census of the student population of the Alma Mater during the early modern period (1500-1796) - Onomasticon Studii Bononiensis - and the data gathered were later transferred to an open access platform (www.asfe.unibo.it). With the resulting marked student mobility, Onomasticon evidenced a distinctive feature of the University of Bologna student population, and this led us to pursue new objectives. By maintaining the same chronological range, we have extended our research to determine the numbers of graduates in Italian universities (Italici doctores), as well as those from transalpine states who attended universities in Italy for periods during their university careers. As of 22 February 2017, the three databases contain 118,607 student files.