Oh Italy, did we need another reason to love you? The pork products, the cheese, the mafia, the ancient ruins, the well-clad policemen, and now this: Gelato University. Yes, there's a Gelato University in Bologna, and enrollment is on the rise as people around the world see gelato-making as a profitable balm to tough economic times.

The university--a convenient off-shoot of Carpigiani, an Italian company that produces the vast majority of the world's gelato-making machines--attracts students from all around the world, and it saw enrollment nearly double from 2008 to 2009. "We're getting more and more people who have been hit by the economic crisis and want to create a new future for themselves," says Patrick Hopkins, the American director of the university. Course range from the 3-day beginner course to the 5-day "Advanced Course: Semifreddi and other Pastry." There are also exciting electives like "Gelato with Alcohol" and "Chocolate Candies." Tuition ranges from 350 to 900 euros, but you could probably write that off as you embark on your new gelato-maker career.