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, 2025. 

The Call for Academic Years 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028 is now open. 

A new call will be published in June 2025, with a deadline of September 15, 2025.  

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Summer Session | August 4 to August 29, 2025

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.