Opportunity

Excellence, Internships & Mobility program: international students awarded

On June 1^st the Closing Ceremony of the Spring 2017 term was an occasion to thank all the students and professors who participated in the multiple activities and courses of this semester together.
During the Ceremony we announced the awards to some of the most deserving students, who applied for VIU awards for Internships in Italy and for the International mobility. Furthermore some selected students were awarded an Excellence decoration for their evolving performance and achievements in the different courses attended.

Each semester scholarships are awarded to talented students to contribute to the cost of living in Venice for a semester, to promote excellence and diversity in the Globalization Program.

The scholarships are equivalent to the cost of accommodation in the apartments arranged by VIU (€1,625), but will be paid directly to the students, who may choose to spend it on the accommodation that best suits their needs.

The scholarship recipient is expected to contribute and be actively involved in the following co-curricular activities: 
- Tea2B: informal conversations on key topics that involve students, professors and staff taking place every Monday at 5 pm 
- Globalization Program plenary workshop 
- Closing Ceremony

The Globalization Program plenary workshop is an interdisciplinary endeavor involving many of the GP professors. Over several weeks, the professors work with groups of students from their courses on a common topic, approaching it based on their (inter)-disciplinary backgrounds. The workshop takes place on a Friday during the semester, when the groups present their work on the common topic. The presentations may take any form - creativity is encouraged: presentations, video-clips, interviews, debates, theater, music or dance performances. 

Eligibility
Any student regularly enrolled in any degree program in a VIU Member University, who wishes to register or is already registered for at least 3 courses in the VIU Globalization Program. (Exchange students of Italian member universities are not eligible.)
Recipients of the KA171 Erasmus+ grants (third countries not associated to the Programme) are not eligible to receive the RED scholarship but may apply to participate as a RED Scholar on a voluntary basis.

Selection Criteria
The aim of the scholarship program is to promote excellence and diversity in the Globalization Program.

The selection of the candidates and the award of the scholarships will be based on a ranking. The score achieved by each student will be the result of the sum of the following:
1. Quality of the candidate (40%): The candidate’s interview, CV, and motivation letter will be evaluated.
2. Academic performance (40%): Based on transcripts from the candidate's home university or, if it applies, the previous semester at VIU.
3. Diversity of the candidate (20%): Based on the candidate's home university, study discipline and background with the aim of creating a diverse team of three RED scholars.

Candidates will be selected by a committee composed of:
- Dean of VIU, Prof. Carmelo Marabello
- Scientific Director of the Globalization Program, Prof. Luca Pes
- Academic Advisor of the Mobility Program, Prof. Ilda Mannino

Application
Applicants must fill out the online form available in their personal page, and upload the following documents:

- Curriculum Vitae
- Transcript of records (for current degree program only)
- Motivation letter

Deadlines
Applications for students wishing to attend the Spring semester: October 15 to November 30
Applications for students wishing to attend the Fall semester: May 3 to June 5

Candidates are advised to submit their application at least 2 hours before the deadline (3:00pm CET/CEST) to avoid any technical difficulties.

Contacts:
Globalization Program
W: www.univiu.org
E: ​student-services@univiu.org, globalization@univiu.org
T: +39 041 2719 511
F: +39 041 2719 510

Venice International University invites tenured professors (or equivalent, as defined by the home university) at one of the member universities or experienced scholars in employment at the Italian National Research Council or National Institute of Astrophysics (Italy) to teach one or more courses during a semester or a summer session of the Globalization Program at Venice International University. 

Candidates must be full-time employees at a member university, the Italian National Research Council or National Institute of Astrophysics (Italy). 

Lectureships during semesters

Deadline for presenting course proposals for semesters: 
March and September every year.

Deadline: March 15, 2026 for course proposals for Academic Years 2026-27, 2027-28, 2028-29.  Now Closed

Call for Lectureships in the Globalization Program semesters  

THIS CALL IS NOW CLOSED. A NEW CALL WILL BE PUBLISHED IN LATE MAY. 
The next deadline will be September 15, 2026.

Lectureships during Summer Session

The Call for Applications for Lectureships in the Summer Session 2026 is now open.

Deadline for submission of proposals: February 28, 2026 CALL CLOSED

Learn More

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VIU's Globalization Program provides a truly multicultural, international and interdisciplinary environment for students and professors of the member universities. Both students and professors come from different cultural backgrounds (with more than 20 nationalities represented in a semester) and from different academic traditions (e.g. American students are accustomed to class discussions, Italian students to lectures), and come from a range of disciplines (many come from Liberal Arts schools, others are studying for more discipline-oriented degrees such as economics, history, architecture or environmental studies, or are studying in interdisciplinary degree programs such as international relations).

Some students avail of the opportunity to study at VIU in order to take courses that are not strictly in their field of study. Students in the program attend one or two semesters at Venice International University as part of their bachelor's or master’s degree at one of the member universities.

The program provides a powerful learning experience in which students develop their capacity for critical thinking and creative problem-solving.  Students exposed to interdisciplinary approaches can think analytically and can creatively embrace new ideas. In addition, the intercultural nature of the program, with each student bringing her/his own personal experience to discussions, means that students are exposed to perspectives other than their own, and consequently experience the benefits of embracing difference. Students of the Globalization Program are thus more prepared for graduate and professional study and for careers in new and emerging fields.

Courses should not require preliminary knowledge of the topic, as they are open to students from any discipline. They should, however, remain challenging for students of that specific field of study.

Call for applications for Lectureships in the Globalization Program
Calls are open to tenured professors (or equivalent as defined by the home university) in the member universities.
The next deadline for presenting course proposals: March 15, 2026. 

The Call for Academic Years 2026-27, 2027-28, 2028-29 is now open. 

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Summer Session | August 4 to August 29, 2026

Since 2022 Venice International University has offered a Summer Session to extend further the opportunity to study and teach at VIU to students and professors from the member universities.

Through this opportunity, VIU will also serve the needs of those students who otherwise face barriers to participation during the semester-long programs, due to the structure of their curricula, socio-economic factors, cultural factors, and personal circumstances. 

The Summer Session is also an opportunity for professors who, due to teaching, research, administrative, or personal commitments, are otherwise unable to spend a full semester at VIU. 

In line with its mission and commitment to promote Sustainable Development and SDGs, VIU is part of ASviS – Alleanza Italiana per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development). 

The aim of the national Alliance is to increase the awareness of the Italian civil society, economic players and policy institutions on the importance of United Nation 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, in order to mobilize those different stakeholders in pursuing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Italy.

The Alliance started in activity in 2016 and counts today more than 300 members among the most important civil society institutions and networks active in the fields of culture, education, public administration or otherwise pursuing specific Sustainable Development Goals (health, well-being, education, employment, quality of environment, gender equality, etc.).

VIU is committed to take part in ASviS’ actions to promote SDGs and to be actively involved in the activities related in particular to:

Goal   2 - Zero Hunger
Goal   4 - Quality Education
Goal   6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 12 - Responsible Consumption
Goal 16 - Governance
Goal 17 - Partnership

Every year VIU takes actively part in the ASviS Festival dello Sviluppo Sostenibile, the largest Italian initiative to raise awareness and mobilize citizens, young generations, businesses, associations and institutions on the issues of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

The scholarship will not be on offer anymore starting from the 1st Semester 2024-25.

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For students enrolled in any master’s degree (including Laurea Magistrale) or 4-year bachelor's degree at one of VIU member universities who intend to pursue research for their thesis in themes related to the Globalization Program.

Participation includes attendance in a semester of the Globalization Program at VIU, followed by a research internship supported by a scholarship.

International thesis research fosters a global perspective, promotes cultural understanding, and contributes to the advancement of knowledge on a broader scale. It can play a crucial role in creating a more interconnected and informed global academic community, as well as:
- provide a broader and more comprehensive perspective on a given topic allowing researchers to consider a variety of cultural, social, economic, and political factors that may influence the subject of their study
- help researchers understand how cultural nuances may impact the interpretation and application of their findings
- contribute to the understanding of global complex challenges by considering diverse perspectives and experiences
- provide opportunities for networking and collaboration with researchers across borders leading to the exchange of ideas, methodologies, and resources
- enhance research rigor as researchers navigate a variety of challenges, such as language barriers, diverse research regulations, and logistical issues.

Mobility period
The research mobilities are for two to four months, after the student has completed their courses at VIU. The start and end dates are fixed in collaboration with the host organization and depend on the projects which the students will pursue. The mobilities are usually completed by the end of December in the academic year following the courses at VIU.

Destinations 
A candidate may request to visit any member university in a different country to their home university:
Boston College, USA
Duke University, USA
European University at St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Korea University, Korea
KU Leuven, Belgium
Ludwig Maximilians Universität, Germany
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Tel Aviv University, Israel
Tsinghua University, China
Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, Italy
Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Italy
Università degli Studi di Padova, Italy
Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, Italy
Università Iuav di Venezia, Italy
Université de Bordeaux, France
University of Exeter, UK
University of Lausanne, Switzerland
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Waseda University, Japan

Any candidate from an Italian member university who is interested in a European member university is advised to consult the open calls for Erasmus+ mobility: www.univiu.org/erasmus. 

VIU promotes international mobility by providing internship opportunities and scholarships to students of the member universities who attend the Globalization Program. Following the semester of courses at VIU, selected students are offered internships at research centers, universities, cultural organizations and companies in Italy and abroad.

Each semester VIU publishes a call for applications for:

Internships in Italy
The call is addressed to bachelor's and master's students from any of the member universities, including exchange students at Ca’ Foscari, Iuav, Padova, Tor Vergata and Milano-Bicocca who are attending the semester at VIU (at least three courses) and who wish to do an internship in a host organization in Italy following the semester.
Students selected for the internship in Italy are awarded a scholarship that will contribute to lodging and living costs.

For information regarding opportunities for Erasmus+ grants to support study and research, refer to the Scholarships section.  

VIU strives to promote excellence and diversity and to provide a powerful learning experience in which students develop their capacity for critical thinking and creative problem solving. VIU awards scholarships to talented, motivated students of the Globalization Program and the Intensive Graduate Activities, to support them in completing their study period in Venice, or to foster their graduate and professional studies and careers.

In essence, studying at VIU is a transformational experience – one that expands minds and empowers students to become thoughtful, culturally-aware leaders in an interconnected world.

In the VIU Globalization Program, students encounter new educational philosophies and learning styles, challenging their assumptions and encouraging intellectual flexibility. They often engage with global issues from alternative perspectives, gaining a more nuanced understanding of complex challenges such as sustainability, equity, governance, and innovation. Classroom learning becomes deeply connected to real-world contexts while the unique setting of Venice offers the opportunity for meetings, encounters, investigations and explorations of the city 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.

As a new environment for all students, VIU becomes a setting where students learn to study together in unfamiliar situations, to communicate across cultural and language barriers, and embrace ambiguity with curiosity, stimulating profound personal growth-strengthening empathy, confidence, and self-awareness. This peer-to-peer engagement fosters cultural humility and cross-cultural competence, helping students navigate and appreciate diversity in its many forms.

The friendships and professional networks students build while studying at VIU enrich their global outlook and often shape their future careers and aspirations. Many return home with a renewed sense of purpose, a commitment to global citizenship, and a desire to make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond.

Students in the PhD Academies, Graduate Seminars and Summer Schools expand their knowledge, skills, and critical understanding of the major societal challenges faced by humankind today – whether environmental, social, cultural, or technological, and their impacts at local and global levels. Whether they will work within or outside academia, graduate students and young researchers must be able to develop and nurture a forward-looking vision of the challenges they face. By collaborating with peers from around the world, students explore transversal topics through innovative approaches, enriching their own research and perspectives through a dynamic exchange of disciplinary and cultural viewpoints.

Scholarship Fund

VIU welcomes donations from the extended VIU Community to the VIU Scholarship Fund: scholarships ensure equity of access so that deserving students know that they can apply for the programs without the concern of the financial burden of sustaining the living costs in their host city.  

Explore the VIU People Profiles to learn about the VIU experience through text and video interviews with students, researchers and professors. 

Donate to the VIU Scholarship Fund 
Donations can be made via bank transfer payable to: 

Beneficiary: Venice International University 

Globalization Program | RED (Residency-Excellence-Diversity) Scholarship

To promote excellence and diversity in the Globalization Program, scholarships are awarded to talented students to contribute to their cost of living in Venice for a semester. Under the guidance of Prof. Luca Pes, selected students actively participate in and collaborate on activities supporting diversity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging in the VIU community.

Globalization Program | Scholarships to support Internships in Italy

Two calls for applications are published yearly for the Internships in Italy Program. The call is addressed to students from any of the member universities, including exchange students at Ca’ Foscari, Iuav, Padova, Tor Vergata, and Milano-Bicocca, who are attending the Globalization Program semester at VIU (completing at least three courses) and who wish to do an internship in a host organization in Italy following their semester/academic year at VIU.
Selected students are awarded a scholarship that will partially cover lodging and living costs.

(Organizations interested in hosting VIU students for internships can write to globalization@univiu.org)

Intensive Graduate Activities |  Fee-waiver Scholarships and Travel Grants 

Full fee-waiver scholarships, travel grants and free accommodation are awarded to selected students in the PhD Academies and Graduate Seminars.  In the PhD Academy participants are advanced doctoral students or junior researchers. They receive training in a range of skills that will support them in developing their research and academic careers. In the Graduate Seminar, participants are early-career doctoral students. They receive support in defining and refining the research question of their research project.

Erasmus+ Grants Incoming 

Students from KU Leuven, Ludwig Maximilians Universität and Université de Bordeaux may be eligible for Erasmus+ grants during their studies at VIU. Interested candidates should consult the International Office at their own university, and should consider that they may need to apply 7-12 months in advance. 

Students from Stellenbosch University may be eligible for KA171 Erasmus+ grants to support their participation in academic programs at VIU. Refer to the program coordinator for information. 

Erasmus+ Grants Outgoing

Students of the Italian member universities should check the Calls for Application at www.univiu.org/erasmus for Erasmus+ grant support and mobility opportunities to study at VIU member universities for short or long mobility. Interested candidates should consider that they may need to apply 6 - 9 months before the planned mobility abroad. (In 2025, destination available: Stellenbosch University.)

VIU People Profiles also feature interviews with previous scholarship recipients.

Contacts
Globalization Program
globalization@univiu.org

Intensive Graduate Activities
phdacademy@univiu.org

Erasmus Office 
erasmus@univiu.org 

Venice International University has renewed its engagement with the United Nations Global Compact and has recently published a report on the activities conducted since 2017.

VIU has been a member of the UNGC - United Nations Global Compact, since 2015. UNGC is a voluntary United Nations initiative that aims to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies.

In 2016, VIU then joined the GCNI - Global Compact Network Italy Foundation, the Italian branch of the UNGC.

Launched in 1999, the Global Compact initiative counts today 13000 corporate and other stakeholders participants, in 161 countries worldwide.Companies and institutions joining the Global Compact initiative publicly commit to align their corporate strategies and operations with the 10 Global Compact Principles on human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption, and to take steps to support UN goals, in order to create a sustainable and inclusive global economy that delivers lasting benefits to people, communities and markets.

Local networks, as the Global Compact Network Italia Foundation (GCNI), work to advance the initiative and its 10 Principles at country level. They help companies understand what responsible business means within different national, cultural and language contexts and facilitate outreach, learning, policy dialogue, collective action and partnerships.

VIU is represented in the elected Board of the Global Compact Network Italia Foundation by Elena Semenzin from Ca' Foscari University.

VIU was technical partner in organizing and hosting the 1st edition of the Italian Business & SDGs Annual Forum, held at VIU premises on the island of San Servolo on Sept. 26, 2016.