Francesca Villa is Director of APICE, the Italian Professional Association of Credential Evaluators, which brings together professionals working in credential evaluation and academic recognition across Italian higher education institutions and the national ENIC–NARIC centre. In this role, she supports the Association’s activities for members, promotes professional exchange and contributes to APICE’s engagement with national and international stakeholders.
She is also a Senior Credential Evaluator at CIMEA, the Italian ENIC–NARIC centre, and has more than 15 years of experience in international higher education, qualification recognition, credential evaluation and international admissions. Her work includes comparative analysis of education systems and qualifications, institutional training and support for recognition and international mobility.
Francesca has particular expertise in transnational education (TNE), including UK-, US- and French-patterned provision. In 2024–25, she served as an external expert for the Council of Europe, contributing to the revision of the Council of Europe/UNESCO Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education within the framework of the Lisbon Recognition Convention. She also contributes to international projects, conferences and publications on academic recognition, mobility and TNE.