She studied at the Universities of Pisa and Pavia and in 1999 she became Full Professor of Glottology and Linguistics.
She was the Rector of the University for Foreigners of Perugia from 2004 to 2012 and served as government expert in national and international committees, in the fields of education and cultural promotion.
She was a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs National Commission for the Promotion of Italian Culture abroad, President of the Study Commission for Research Ethics and Bioethics of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), member of the Steering Committee for scientific and cultural relations between Italy and France. From 2006 to 2011 she was the representative of the Conference of Rectors of Italian Universities for international relations.
In 2011, she received the title of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano.
She was elected member of the Senate in February 2013 with the political party Scelta Civica (Civic Choice) in the Tuscany Region.
She was Head of the Scelta Civica group in the VII Senate Commission (Public Education and Cultural heritage) and President of the CEI (Central European Initiative) Parliamentary Delegation. In November 2013 she became Secretary of the Scelta Civica Party