Anna Maria Bernini is a Member of the Senate and the Minister of Universities and Research. She graduated in Law cum laude at the University of Bologna where she is Associate Professor of Public Comparative Law. She is also a member of the Italian National Bar.

In 2008, she was elected as a Member of Parliament in the Chamber of Deputies. She was Minister for EU Policies from 28 July 2011 to 16 November 2011. In 2013, under the XVII Parliamentary term, she was elected for the first time to the Senate of the Italian  Republic and has served as a Senator ever since.