From October 1, 2026, Ambassador Umberto Vattani moves into a new role as Honorary President of Venice International University, recognizing his distinguished and exceptional contribution to Venice International University over many years.
Ambassador Vattani leaves the presidency having profoundly shaped VIU’s development and international reach. When he became involved with the consortium, VIU brought together six member institutions; today, its community encompasses 23 universities and research institutions across 14 countries and four continents. Under his leadership, this expanding network has become not simply a larger consortium, but a broader space for encounters across borders, disciplines and sectors.
This spirit of exchange has extended well beyond the classroom. During Ambassador Vattani’s presidency, VIU has developed connections with civil society and created opportunities for dialogue between academia, science, diplomacy, politics, culture and the arts. Its activities have provided settings in which questions of science and society, art and society, cultural exchange and international cooperation can be explored from different perspectives. Contemporary art exhibitions, cultural events, public discussions and initiatives in science and cultural diplomacy have all contributed to this wider role for VIU: a place where people and ideas from different parts of society can meet, engage with one another and see familiar questions from new points of view.
The growth of VIU under Ambassador Vattani can therefore be measured not only in the number of institutions that have joined the consortium, but in the diversity of people, perspectives and forms of knowledge that now converge at San Servolo. His legacy is, in many respects, the strengthening of VIU as a place of encounter - where international, interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange can extend from Venice International University into the wider world.
As Honorary President of Venice International University, Ambassador Vattani will continue to represent VIU at public and official occasions, provide guidance and support to its cultural, scientific and strategic initiatives, and help strengthen its relations with international partners and institutions.
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Ambassador Umberto Vattani
Honorary President of Venice International Universty
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