When I went to Venice to study at VIU it was not my first time in the city. I had been there on holidays for several times. So I already knew the city in the lagoon quite well. Or, to be more precise, I thought I knew it. But during the five months I spent there, I realized that Venice is a place where you can stay for years and still discover new aspects on a daily basis without getting bored or experiencing the same thing twice. I’m not lying when I say that I enjoyed every day I stayed there. This impression comes definitely not only from the unquestionable beauty and fascination of the city itself, but also from the atmosphere of the Venice International University.
Venice is a unique city and VIU is a unique place for studying. Not only because of the very special location of the university (it is situated in an old but modern and comfortable arranged monastery on an island in the lagoon, surrounded by very nice gardens), but also because of the programme, the staff and the international atmosphere.
Every Friday we enjoyed a special sightseeing and cultural programme organized by the university that gave us insights in places of interest we would never have the chance to see as tourists or normal students. For a student there is no possibility to get closer to Venice as to take part in these several field trips, visits and lectures. These activities are planned very professionally and excellently organized by the two congenial and friendly secretaries Cristina and Francesca. Furthermore they really helped us with all kinds of problems. At this point, I'd like to thank them once more.
I'd also strongly recommend the courses offered by VIU: they are really useful for students who want to learn about several interesting themes and improve their English at the same time. But I'd also like to recommend Italian classes, because I think it’s a question of respect towards the host country to learn its language. And I personally think that the courses have been very useful and I was really looking forward to every single lesson, also because I really wished to learn Italian and that had been one of the reasons why I chose to study in Venice. So for people (like me) whose Italian is not fluent, VIU is an ideal solution! But also for those who are comfortable with the language, of course...
Another important aspect is the very international atmosphere. The fellow students come from all over the world (for example Israel, USA, Japan, China and whole Europe), so you have the chance to get in touch with other cultures. That has been a really precious experience for me.
But the best of all was the very familiar atmosphere at VIU. Everybody knows each other and you will make new friends, for sure! Former VIU students (and the staff) create a real community that will outlast the duration of your Venice experience. You will feel part of a great family.
To conclude, I can only strongly recommend taking part in the VIU programme; the only thing I regret is that I only stayed for one semester, because it was a wonderful time and a great experience I will always remember.
- Tassilo Hornschild, Ludwig Maximilians Universitat