Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) is Italy's largest and most internationally distinguished private academy of fine arts and design. Founded in Milan in 1980 by a progressive collective of artists and intellectuals—including Ausonio Zappa, Guido Ballo, and Tito Varisco—NABA was established to dismantle academic traditionalism and pioneer an innovative cross-disciplinary pedagogy bridging contemporary art, industrial design, fashion, digital media, and social innovation.
NABA is officially recognized by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) within the AFAM system and is ranked among the top 100 Art and Design institutions worldwide in the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject—standing proudly as the #1 private fine arts academy in Italy. With two state-of-the-art urban campuses in Milan (in the picturesque Navigli canal district) and Rome (in the post-industrial creative creative hub of Ostiense), NABA educates over 4,500 students hailing from more than 90 countries.
The academy awards fully accredited Academic Bachelor of Arts (180 ECTS) and Academic Master of Arts (120 ECTS) degrees equivalent to university qualifications across Europe. NABA's signature learning methodology is centered around "learning by doing" through intensive studio projects, direct mentorship by acclaimed practicing artists and designers, and live corporate briefs with leading international brands.
