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November 27-29, 2025
VIU Campus, San Servolo Island, Venice

Established in 1995 by five pioneering universities, VIU has grown into a vibrant network that encompasses more than twenty higher education and research institutions on four continents.

Jointly developing educational programs at all levels, exploring innovative topics, exchanging interdisciplinary and intercultural knowledge and experience remain at the heart of what makes VIU a unique institution.

VIU’s 30th Anniversary marks an important milestone, celebrating its founding vision of raising global awareness and shared consciousness around the principles of constructive dialogue, mutual understanding, and purposeful collaboration, which remain essential in a world torn by conflict.

The 30th Anniversary also serves as a shared moment of reflection on the pressing issues our societies face today, from rapid technological change to persistent inequalities and sustainability concerns. Together, we aim to explore the educational models, tools, and approaches that can help us overcome/address these challenges and shape the responsible leaders and engaged citizens of tomorrow.

On November 27-29, VIU will host a program of academic discussions, institutional meetings and celebratory gatherings open to the VIU community, the city of Venice and to all students, researchers, professors and citizens who wish to take part in this shared celebration.

Guiding Transitions International Conference

Thursday afternoon, November 27
Friday morning, November 28

Human history has always alternated between slow, steady progress and sudden leaps marked by paradigm shifts and rapid transformations, that have redefined entire civilizations. Wars, epidemics, discoveries, and innovations have sparked rapid transformations in culture, knowledge, and society.

VIU’s international conference Guiding Transitions opens a forum for reflection and case-based analysis, exploring how Higher Education Institutions can equip students with the skills and competencies to navigate these changes. Sessions will focus on four key areas: Higher Education and AI, Structural Inequalities, Ecology and Environment, and Cities in Transition.

The conference is open to scholars, higher education experts and practitioners both from member institutions of Venice International University and beyond, encouraging a collaborative exploration of today’s most pressing transitions. 

Tickets for the Alumni & Friends of VIU Dinner on Thursday, November 27 are complimentary for conference attendees. 

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Alumni & Friends of VIU Dinner

with music performed by UNIPD Big Band, the Jazz Orchestra of the University of Padova

Thursday, November 27, 2025, 19.30

VIU alumni and friends are invited to an evening of reunion, conversation, and networking. Attendees will have the opportunity to reconnect, share memories, and enjoy live music performed by the University of Padova Big Band.

Tickets are €25.00 per person
Tickets for current VIU students - Fall 2025 are €10.00 per student (at Front Office only)
Conference participants should reserve their tickets via the conference registration form. 

Booking now open

Navigating the Venice Archipelago. Lagoon Stories for Sustainable Futures

Friday, November 28, 2025, 13.00    

An interactive multimedia exhibit developed by Venice International University in collaboration with the University of Padua, and exhibited in the Italian Pavilion at Osaka Expo 2025 and part of the Intelligent Venice Exhibition, a special project of the Venice Sustainability Foundation at the Architecture Biennale in 2025.

Conversations on Energy, Environment and the Sea

Friday, November 28, 2025, 14.30  

Venice International University, San Servolo Island   [in Italian with English translation]

Prof. Dott. Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Italian Minister for the Environment and Energy Security
Prof. David Burigana, University of Padua

Sen.  Nello Musumeci, Italian Minister for Civil Protection and Marine Policies
Prof. Andrea Rinaldo, President, Veneto Institute of Sciences, Letters and Arts
Prof. Fabrizio Marrella, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice

Moderated by Ambassador Umberto Vattani, VIU President

Special Concert of the Choir of the Cardinal Bartolucci Foundation

Friday, November 28, 2025, 21.00
Church of San Salvador, Venice

In 2004, the Domenico Bartolucci Foundation created its own polyphonic choir to promote the classical and contemporary sacred repertoire of the Roman School—particularly the works of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Domenico Bartolucci, but also those of the most renowned composers of sacred music from the Renaissance to the present day

Free entrance. Registration not required
Download the flyer

The Third Paradise by Michelangelo Pistoletto: 20th Anniversary

Saturday, November 29, 2025 
VIU, San Servolo Island

Registration not required
Download the flyer

In 2004, the Domenico Bartolucci Foundation created its own polyphonic choir to promote the classical and contemporary sacred repertoire of the Roman School—particularly the works of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Domenico Bartolucci, but also those of the most renowned composers of sacred music from the Renaissance to the present day

11.00     Project conceived by Ambassador Umberto Vattani

12.00     Presentation of the book “From the Third Paradise to the Formula of Creation”

Presentation of the book “From The Third Paradise to the Formula of Creation”
Published by Treccani

Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Michelangelo Pistoletto, Artist, Creator of the Third Paradise
Antonio Spadaro, Undersecretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education
Paolo Naldini, Director of Cittadellarte – Fondazione Pistoletto
Francesco Monico, Head of the Spirituality Office at Cittadellarte
Saverio Teruzzi, Coordinator of the Third Paradise – Rebirth Embassies 

Laura Salas Redondo, Curator and Founder of the Third Paradise – Rebirth Embassies 

Moderated by Fortunato D’Amico, Editorial Coordination

12.15  TRIKÂLA: “Towards the Tuning of the Third Paradise”

Sound composition by Nicola Cisternino
Artistic workshop curated by Stefania Guerra Lisi
Environmental project conceived by Giovanni Leone

In collaboration with the Guggenheim Art High School and the Marco Polo Music High School of Venice.

12.50  Unveiling of the Commemorative Plaque of the Third Paradise

Sculpture Park of San Servolo

30th Anniversary Gala Dinner

Saturday, November 29, 2025 - by invitation only 

• Reception with the Mayor of Venice, Arch. Luigi Brugnaro

• Institutional Welcome Address, Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia
  Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

• Thirty Years of VIU and the Extraordinary Venetian Renaissance

  Prof. Renato Brunetta, Venice Sustainability Foundation and the Italian National Council for Economics and Labour

• Special Anniversary Concert by Maestro Filippo Gorini, Piano
  music by Johannes Brahms and Franz Schubert

• Thirtieth Anniversary Gala Dinner 

The population of Europe is estimated to be about 508 million, and older persons (aged 65 or over) represented about 19% (an increase of 2.3% compared with 10 years earlier). In particular, three countries have the highest shares of persons aged 65 and older in the total population: Italy (21.7%), Germany (21.0%) and Greece (20.9%) The old-age dependency ratio is about 29%; as such, there are less than four persons of working age for every person aged 65 and over. The share of the population aged 65 years and over is increasing in every EU Member State, EFTA country and candidate country, and the health and wellbeing of older citizens is a priority in all of them.

Healthy and active ageing has turned out as being a cross cutting issue and also a major concern for individuals, health professionals and policy makers alike. Health in old age, and the maintenance of an active and independent life style is a high goal for each of us, but also contributes, for example, to economic prosperity through improving work participation, civil engagement and productivity making it crucial in the context of an ageing society and longer working lives.

The VIU Program on Ageing addresses interdisciplinary aspects of population ageing, referring to economics, health sciences and sociology, in order to examine the challenges of demographic and societal changes in Europe and the rest of the world. 

The VIU Program on Ageing promotes training and dissemination activities on interdisciplinary aspects of population ageing and aims to share knowledge of research results among graduate students, PhD students, post-doc researchers, professionals and population in general.

Cooperation: The VIU Ageing Program stems from the cooperation of VIU with the CNR – Aging Centre (Progetto invecchiamento) of Padua as well as with the "University of Padua” (Department of Economics and Medical School).

Mission and objectives: VIU Ageing Program is designed to further the understanding of the ageing process in an interdisciplinary perspective, referring to the various domains such as economics, health sciences and sociology, in order to meet the challenges of demographic and societal changes in Europe and in the rest of the World.

In particular the program aims to:
• Futher the understanding of the ageing process ranging from some basic notions of the medical and epidemiological literature, to an extensive treatment of economics (pensions and retirement, ageing in society and intergenerational relationships) and social sciences (role of family networks); 
• Develop interdisciplinary themes concerning population ageing through research and training activities;
• Identify critical areas that affect health and social care of older people in Europe ;
• Prepare documents on the state-of-the-art of geriatric assistance within different countries, to be disseminated in Europe ;
• improve knowledge in geriatrics and economics within health and social care professionals, through the creation of interdisciplinary training initiatives.

Within the main objectives of the VIU Ageing Program is the establishment of the European Institute on Ageing on the model of the USA National Institute on Ageing (NIA).  The European Interdisciplinary Council on Ageing (EICA) is the first scientific organization in Europe specifically fostering the translation and dissemination of results from ageing research to various professional groups, policy makers, advanced education programs and the general public.

Ageing Program People: 

Scientific Director:
Prof. Agar Brugiavini

Program Assistant:
Giulia Longari

Contact:
ageing@univiu.org

The experience of studying at VIU is unique, certainly formative, sometimes life-changing.

The VIU Diaspora
What is it that makes VIU unique? The people. Your fellow students, your professors, your friends. All those people that you met while studying here, who are now dispersed throughout the world: the VIU Diaspora.

Stay up-to-date about VIU

Sign up for the What's New at VIU newsletter to stay for news and stories from VIU.

Stay in touch - Get involved
We maintain a contacts database of the VIU Alumni Network. Please fill out the form here to make sure we have the correct contact details and information for you.

What can our Alumni do for VIU?
- Stay in touch. Let us know about your successes. Allow us to tell your story.
- Offer internships in your workplace to VIU students or recent alumni.
- Share job opportunities - via the VIU LinkedIn page or on VIU Opportunities page of our website.
- Participate in Alumni Reunions - help organize regional reunions.

- Be a good ambassador. Participate in promotional events such as study fairs in your Alma Mater.
- Include VIU in your CV; include VIU in your LinkedIn profile.

If you have other suggestions for the VIU Alumni Network, drop us a line at alumni@univiu.org

Donate to the VIU Scholarship Fund 

VIU Scholarships ensure equity of access to VIU opportunities.
Donations can be made via bank transfer payable to: 

Beneficiary: Venice International University 

VIU is a registered non-profit association, and donations to VIU are eligible for tax reductions or deductions in many countries. If you wish to receive a receipt for the donation for tax purposes, send a request to donations@univiu.org 

Stay in touch! Make sure we can contact you! Fill out the form!

Venice International University regards contemporary art as an experimental tool to promote innovative forms of training and research. VIU encourages the practice of contemporary art in order to pursue research based not only on data and statistics but also on human and artistic implications.

VIU Facilities serve the many needs of our students. On the Island of San Servolo, you will find:

• VIU Front Office
• Classrooms
• Pc room and Mac Lab
• Printers
• Wi-Fi connection
• Library
• Music room
• Canteen and café
• Accommodation
• Sports grounds

VIU Front Office

VIU Front Office can be found along the main corridor (turn left after the main entrance. You should reach the office for issues related to the program, card, computer facilities, co-curricular activities, Mac Lab and wi-fi. 

Opening hours of the front office: Monday to Friday, 9.15 am- 4.45 pm (closed for lunch 1.30 - 2.30 pm). 

Printers

The VIU Student Card is a multifunctional magnetic key that provides access to the Mac Lab, library loans and photocopying/scanning facilities. VIU card is issued with a credit of € 3. Once the credit is over, you can recharge the card at the VIU Front Office (minimum charge €5). The cost of a one-page photocopy/print is € 0.05 black and white and € 0.12 color. VIU copying and printing machines also work as a scanner. 

Scanning is free but, in order to access 5 the scanning function, you must have a credit of minimum 10 cents on your VIU card. 

Library

The resources of VIU Library are limited. VIU purchases one copy of each of the required texts for the courses. These texts will be available for one-day loans. Most professors will provide course packs and make them available online through Moodle. Students will have access to the libraries of the Venetian Universities, and public libraries in Venice. We also suggest you to check your home university remote access for electronic resources, e-books, online papers etc.

During the 1st semester 2023-24 the VIU library is open with the following schedule:

Monday: 9.00 am - 6.00 pm
Tuesday: 9.00 am - 6.00 pm
Wednesday: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm
Thursday: 9.00 am - 6.00 pm
Friday: 9.00 am - 4.00 pm

Restaurant

There is a restaurant on the island operated by an external service provider. The restaurant is open at lunch from 12 pm to 3 pm, and at dinner from 7 to 10 pm.

Bar | Café 

In the main building, there is a café that sells beverages, croissants, sandwiches and salads. 

Opening hours
Every day 8 am – 7 pm

Discounts for VIU students showing VIU card (except on coffee and beverages)
10% all students
15% resident students

Menu
Sandwiches and salads are served daily.

Sport facilities

VIU students can use the sports grounds in San Servolo for free, when available. Reservations should be made at the reception by showing the VIU card.
On request the reception can lend sport equipment under payment of a 20€ deposit.
 

San Servolo Servizi Metropolitani Reception

Students who will be accommodated on campus can pick up the key to their room in the residential halls at the San Servolo Servizi reception (first office on the right, after the main entrance). This is not a VIU office. The residential facilities are managed by a services company called San Servolo Servizi Metropolitani. The reception staff is responsible for all issues related to accommodation. 

The reception staff is available from 8.30 am to 7 pm. There is a 24-hour guardian service. The guardians can help you if you get locked out of your room or for very urgent issues.

Since its foundation, VIU has been involved in capacity-building programs for various target groups, and has developed extensive education and training programs aimed at enhancing the capacities of young academic generations, professionals, policy-makers and business representatives.

Capacity Building on Sustainable Development
Since 2003, VIU has worked extensively on Capacity Building on Sustainable Development for Policy Makers, civil servants and professionals mainly from emerging economies worldwide.

China, Mexico, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Ukraine, and various other countries in Central and Eastern Europe have been the target of 1- or 2-week training sessions, arranged at VIU in Venice or locally, in the target country, thanks to the cooperation of local partners.

European Project Training Unit
Since 2010 VIU and Europelago have been jointly managing the Euro-Project Training Unit at VIU which provides training in project, financial and operational management of EU funded projects. Core courses are offered recurrently during each year together with other training initiatives that are specifically designed on a request basis.

Other Capacity Building activities in recent years include:

- Sino-Italian Advanced Training Program on Sustainable Development and Environmental Management (IMELS)

- Course for Sustainability for Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, MENA countries, Turkey (IMELS)

- Advanced Training Program for Mexico City Government (IMELS)

- Sustainable Waste Management Schools (IWWG and VIU)

- The Automotive Ecosystem on the Global Road to Sustainability. The Asian Perspective (Alcantara)

- Sustainability and the new Automotive Value Chain (Alcantara)

- European Summer Schools in Resource and Environmental Economics (EAERE, FEEM and VIU)

- Green Design Management

- Harvard Seminar Series

VIU students have the extraordinary opportunity to live in a world heritage city with a great concentration of arts, architecture and history. But it is not only the signs of the past that make Venice an interesting place to live: the city is a living machine in a unique setting on water, which represents an alternative urban and social concept which extends from the mainland to the many islands in the lagoon and estuary.

The rich co-curricular program offers students the opportunity to discover and relate to the city of Venice, its lagoon and hinterland, taking teaching out of the classroom and in to the field, and creating opportunities for students to socialize with their peers.

Activities include visits related to the courses to some of the traditional sights and tours of cultural sites of interest with experts in different fields, a weekly movie series and a variety of guest lectures and cultural events.

During Spring 2020 semester, due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Italy, the normal Globalization Program activities have been suspended, as the courses have been transformed into elearning format.

In an effort to reunite the Spring 2020 community, the RED scholars are organizing Tea2B meetings online, to virtually gather students and professors in front of their computer screens, with the accompaniment of a cup of tea, to discuss the current global situation and other hot topics.

Please find the program of the meetings in the box at the side of this page. The Webex invitation for each meeting is sent out to professors and students by email.

Focus
Creativity, design, and innovation are central to maintaining the competitiveness of Italian firms in the global economy. Companies that combine traditional craftsmanship with industrial production, especially in Made in Italy sectors like luxury fashion and design, gain a strong competitive edge. By integrating Industry 4.0 technologies, they enhance artisanal processes, boost efficiency, and create innovative products that merge heritage skills with digital innovation. This combination of know-how and technology drives national growth and strengthens Italy’s global presence.

Goals
-  Promote Industry 4.0 in craftsmanship to enhance efficiency, quality, and product innovation.
-  Combine tradition and innovation by supporting artisans and companies in the digital transition.
- Showcase Made in Italy excellence through the integration of heritage skills and advanced technologies.
-  Build collaborative networks among artisans, designers, and technologists to create innovative products and business models.

Creativity and "Made in Italy" sector
The integration of craftsmanship and industrial production marks a key step for the knowledge economy. Creativity today is recognized not only as a dimension of thought but as a practical activity: “doing” is a way of thinking. Italian companies that successfully combine management skills with spaces for imagination and hands-on creation are more innovative and competitive, particularly in Made in Italy sectors. Industrial capacity for customization, supported by traditional know-how and Industry 4.0 technologies, represents a core competitive advantage and a driver of national growth.

Cultural Heritage is a broad spectrum, encompassing tangible, intangible, and natural heritage: the built environment, monuments, works of art, and artifacts borne of human expression and creativity; the history, customs, traditions, and languages of communities as an expression their identities; the natural landscapes, biodiversity, and geodiversity in the environment.

VIU programs address the many aspects of Cultural Heritage, providing students and participants with the opportunity to engage in the academic discourse related to Cultural Heritage, through a critical examination of the issues, including preservation and restoration, (sustainable) heritage tourism, the impacts of globalization, policy issues and governance of cultural organizations, and also training in the use of digital technologies in research, and in the preservation and management of sites and artefacts of universal value, and the means to improve accessibility to them. The interdisciplinary field draws from many disciplines including history, philosophy, anthropology, economics, management, architecture, urban planning, history of art, and history of architecture.

Sustainable Social Security: Past and Future Challenges in Social Security

The European Institute of Social Security (EISS) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a special international conference.
Dates: October 11-12, 2018

Sustainability is often referred to as a major objective to be respected by social policy makers. Yet, what is to be understood by this principle? Is there something as a common understanding of the principle of sustainability, valid across various disciplines, in a cross-national setting and going beyond the mere economic-financial assessment of system sustainability (“i.e. financial and economic constraints to social security”), which is traditionally applied by international organizations such as IMF, OECD and the EU?

By merging the different views on sustainability (law, economics and social security), the ambition is to find out whether sustainability can be a guiding principle in designing a global model for social security, reaching in its turn to new global (legal) standards in the field of social security. The joint event is thus addressing an international (European) public and has the ambition to bring together established scholars in the field as well as the upcoming younger generation of social security scientists.

The conference will also be the occasion to celebrate the 50 years of the European Institute of Social Security; hence, we plan to bring together the past (founding generations of the Institute) and the future generations of social security scientists around the topic of sustainability (part of them being participants in the Young Research Event that will precede the conference).

Applications are now open

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion for 2021-2027 (up from €14.7 billion for 2014-2020) and will provide more mobility and cooperation opportunities than ever before. 

VIU and Erasmus+

• To organize and manage high-quality joint academic programmes at VIU, for incoming mobility participants, and for “internationalization at home” participants from Italian HEIs.
• To organize and manage a limited number of outgoing mobility opportunities as a second phase opportunity, following participation in joint activities at VIU.
• To further the goals of the internationalization strategies of the participating universities.
• To intensify and diversify existing cooperation among the Italian HEIs in the mobility consortium, and the VIU members in programme and partner countries.
• To attract excellent students and professors from VIU member universities in programme countries, while promoting Italy and the European Research Area as destinations for education and research excellence. 
• To increase the diversity of students participating in joint academic programmes at VIU, especially those with fewer opportunities thanks to the availability of E+ mobility grants.

Actions: 

• Mobility for studies – incoming in GP semesters
• Mobility for studies – outgoing following participation in GP
• Staff mobility – incoming/outgoing for Research Development following Intensive Graduate Activities
• Short mobility bachelor and masters students – incoming Summer Sessions
• Short mobility doctoral students – incoming Intensive Graduate Activities
• Short mobility doctoral students – outgoing following Intensive Graduate Activities
• Blended Intensive Programmes (BIPs) - Intensive Graduate Activities that meet the criteria for BIPs may be supported by E+ funding 

Erasmus+ funding is used as a co-funding instrument of VIU's Intensive Graduate Activities. 

To request information on these actions, write to erasmus@univiu.org

At Erasmus+ we all have different beginnings.
Filled with worries, dreams and hidden possibilities,
That we turn into endless opportunities
And entirely new beginnings.

Beginnings of boundless cultural enrichment,
Unforgettable learning experiences,
And unique chances to work together.

Beginnings of unexpected friendships,
impactful exchanges
And once-in-a-lifetime memories.

Beginnings that are creating new paths
Towards an inclusive, greener and digital Europe.

Here, no matter how you begin,
you will go further than you thought.

Erasmus+
Enriching lives, opening minds.

Related Links: 

European Commission Erasmus+ Website 

Italian Erasmus+ National Agency INDIRE (Higher Education)

Erasmus+ App for Students

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) Venezia

Europass Mobility

Online Language Support

Public Consultation covering EU funds supporting cross-border education, training and solidarity, young people, media, culture, and creative sectors, values, and civil society.

Focus
Today we are facing important global challenges in terms of climate change, political transitions, population increase, energy access, health issues that pose Security at the center of a common reflection.

The environmental, social and economic pillars are the framework of sustainable development. In order to preserve the environment and guarantee the needs of future generations, environmental management needs to combine several aspects such as waste management, water quality, air monitoring, pollution prevention, sustainable agriculture, food safety & security, energy & energy efficiency, urban innovation, both at a global and local scale. With a growing population worldwide, those aspects can significantly contribute to secure peace and wellbeing.  

In the last 10 years, VIU has developed research and capacity-building projects focused on studying and disseminating knowledge about strategies and the dynamics of environmental management and security in terms of environmental protection, transboundary issues, natural disasters and energy security.

Researchers with different backgrounds (e.g. economics, environmental sciences, law) are involved in those projects, thus contributing to highlight the multiple factors involved. The scale of the projects carried out in this area ranges from local to international.

Goals
- To promote capacity building for professionals and policy makers on topics of environmental management
- To strengthen the dialogue among scientific, corporate and governmental institutions in order to ensure collaboration in facing environmental management and security challenges
- To promote interdisciplinary approach to integrate economic, environmental and social aspects when dealing with those issues

Projects
In line with VIU methodology, networking and building communities around discussion topics is at the basis of our approach to projects, with the aim to activate competencies in a variety of disciplines. Our projects on this focus area are built around:

- Capacity building to policy makers and professionals as short training sessions addressing a specific topic approached through a multi-disciplinary perspective. In-class sessions and site visits supports the adopted methodology.
- Communication and Dissemination on research results to different stakeholders, e.g. policy makers, business community, citizens, scientists.
- Research on policy and strategies on environmental management, including economic aspects and consumers' behaviour.

---
In line with VIU's mission and commitment to promote Sustainable Development and the 17 Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, this Focus Area addresses the following:

The Erasmus+ Programme prioritizes several key areas to enhance education, training, and youth engagement across Europe:

1. Inclusion and Diversity
Erasmus+ promotes equal opportunities and accessibility for all, focusing on individuals with fewer opportunities. National Agencies develop tailored inclusion plans to support diverse participants, while the Inclusion and Diversity Strategy addresses barriers such as disabilities, health issues, educational challenges, cultural differences, social and economic factors, discrimination, and geographical obstacles.

2. Digital Transformation
The program aims to equip citizens with essential digital skills for the modern age, supporting the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). Initiatives focus on developing a robust digital education ecosystem and enhancing digital competencies across all sectors, fostering both basic and advanced skills for active participation in society.

3. Environment and fight against climate change
Erasmus+ emphasizes sustainability and environmental responsibility, aligning with the European Green Deal. The program supports projects that educate participants on climate issues and promote sustainable practices, prioritizing green initiatives and carbon-neutral approaches in all activities.

External resources: Sustainable Erasmus+ Travel

4. Participation in democratic life, common values and civic engagement
The program encourages active citizenship and civic engagement by enhancing understanding of the European Union and its values. It supports projects that foster critical thinking, media literacy, and participation in democratic processes, particularly among youth, through the Youth Participation Strategy and Toolkit.

Engagement with the Erasmus+ Priorities at Venice International University:

The VIU Erasmus+ Mobility Consortium has successfully renewed its accreditation 2021-2027: N. 2022-1-IT02-KA130-HED-000068577. 

VIU's new member university, Università Milano-Bicocca, has also joined the VIU Erasmus+ Mobilty Consortium which was first awarded in 2017 (VIU Mobility Consortium Accreditation 2017-2020: N. 2017-1-IT02-KA108-36012).

Students and professors attending VIU programs from countries participating in the Erasmus+ program can receive travel and individual support grants when participating in VIU academic programs.

The VIU Erasmus+ Mobility Consortium will manage €200K of funding in the following projects:  

KA171 - Third countries not associated to the Programme

Mobility of higher education students and staff supported by external policy funds

Venice International University promotes the VIU Global Challenges Initiatives, a coordinated stream of activities, inspired by similar ambitions to contribute to the creation of knowledge, understanding, and skills, responding to current and future major societal challenges faced by humankind today: environmental, social, cultural and technological phenomena and their local impacts.

Knowledge creation across the disciplines - the humanities, social sciences, and the sciences - can play a fundamental role in coping with these challenges. Within an evolving and unconstrained ensemble of topics addressed by VIU member institutions, the Initiatives identify core interests of global and local relevance with the aim to make VIU an innovator.
Through these Initiatives VIU is committed to a critical exploration of what it means to envision a sustainable future. The Initiatives acknowledge the interconnected and intertwined relationships between human and natural systems and aim to be multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary.

The Initiatives are a series of activities with a common purpose. These activities have different forms and targets, including PhD Academies for students at an advanced stage of their research, graduate seminars, and programs for master’s students and a broader community.

The Initiatives also include international workshops, forums, and conferences, with participants drawn from academia, business, public institutions, civil society, NGO, and the art worlds. By encouraging the interconnection of these activities, VIU will disseminate the outcomes and extend the discussion to a wider audience.

The VIU Global Challenges Initiatives take advantage of the multicultural context and the unique setting of Venice as a special laboratory, as a location that foregrounds the extraordinary culture of the past, the problems of the present, and the possibility of the future.

The Globalization Program is the core academic offering of Venice International University. Courses are designed around themes that are globally significant and locally relevant to Venice, its lagoon, and hinterland.

Multicultural, International & Interdisciplinary

Today’s interconnected world needs flexible minds capable of crossing disciplines, approaching challenges with creativity and critical thought, and balancing humanistic, environmental, cultural and economic perspectives.

The Globalization Program unites talented students and faculty from member universities in a truly multicultural and interdisciplinary environment. Together they engage in collaborative learning that fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and innovative approaches to global issues.

Learning Experience

Courses are taught by faculty from the member institutions and attended by students representing diverse cultural and academic backgrounds. This exchange of perspectives creates an enriching educational setting that encourages dialogue, collegiality, and new forms of collaboration.
Students may participate for a semester, a full academic year, or a summer session, earning credits toward bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Exposure to different teaching methods and learning styles challenges assumptions, strengthens adaptability, and deepens analytical skills.

Through peer-to-peer engagement, students develop intercultural competence, learning to communicate across languages and cultures while embracing diversity with openness and curiosity. Studying at VIU is a transformative experience that prepares graduates to become thoughtful, globally minded leaders.

Semester or Academic Year

Courses on the three core topics are offered every semester, with six specialization tracks available on a rotating basis.

Summer Session

The summer sessions of the Globalization Program place particular emphasis on engaging students and scholars in the sciences.

Organised since 2016, Graduate Seminars are thematic intensive seminars on a focused topic, approached from a multidisciplinary perspective. The seminars are driven by interdepartmental cooperation, and it is expected that they will give rise to medium- and long-term projects involving the participating departments. They are suited to both Master’s and PhD students as well as junior researchers coming from different disciplines, who are still defining their research proposal and are open to candidates from all the VIU member institutions.

Each Graduate Seminar has a different topic and is delivered in a variety of ways, in addition to the one week in person intensive activities. They include blended formats, including virtual sessions, and feature conferences.

The Graduate Seminars that focus on a major societal challenge faced by humankind today are part of the Global Challenges Initiatives. These Initiatives are a coordinated stream of VIU activities with a common purpose: the creation of knowledge, understanding, and skills, responding to current and future major societal challenges faced by humankind today.

Focus
In a Green Economy the reduction of the environmental impact of business enterprises results in economic advantages for the companies themselves.

The identification of the factors that push firms to develop such strategies is a fundamental step to further promote green economics and to move our society toward a Circular Economy.

In the last 10 years, VIU has developed research and capacity building projects focused on the studying and the dissemination of knowledge about policies, strategies and dynamics of moving towards a green economy and a low-carbon society, based on Sustainable Consumption and Production, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Researchers with different backgrounds (e.g. business sector and academia) are involved in those projects, thus contributing to highlight the multiple factors involved. The scale of the projects carried out in this area ranges from local to international.

Goals
- To promote capacity building for professionals and policy makers on Green Economy and Circular Economy
- To strengthen the dialogue among corporate, governmental and scientific institutions for Green Economy and Circular Economy implementation
- To support citizens' awareness and engagement for Sustainable Consumption

Projects
In line with VIU methodology, networking and building communities around discussion topics is at the basis of our approach to projects, with the aim to activate competencies in a variety of disciplines. Our projects on this focus area are built around:

- Capacity building to civil servants and professionals designed as short training sessions on topics related to Green and Circular Economy, through a multi-disciplinary perspective. In-class sessions and site visits supports the adopted methodology.
- Awarness Raising and Dissemination for professionals coming from different sectors, e.g. business, media, think tanks.
- Research on strategies and actions for Sustainable Consumption and Production, applying the Circular Economy model. 

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In line with VIU's mission and commitment to promote Sustainable Development and the 17 Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, this Focus Area addresses the following: