Venice International University - VIU

15/10/2026

💬 The “Equipping Researchers with Skills, Strategies and Confidence for Science Communication” will be back in March 2027 for its fourth edition. Hear from our previous participants!

📅 When: March 8-12, 2027
📍 Where: Island of San Servolo in Venice
👨🏻‍🎓 👩🏻‍🎓 Who can apply? Researchers and graduate students from all research disciplines across natural and social sciences, engineering and humanities.y.
👉🏽 How: applications open until November 2 via the VIU website
https://www.univiu.org/study/summer-schools/equipping-researchers-scicomm

💭 Communicating research to public and policy audiences is becoming a key element of researchers’ work, but can be challenging when researchers lack the required skills and have little experience of engaging with audiences outside the academic arena. It is essential to make researchers more aware of the importance of public science communication and engagement, especially since these activities are increasingly demanded by research funders and policymakers as a pathway towards societal impact of research. But to be effective public communicators, researchers need training to equip them with the key competencies and the confidence to communicate strategically using a wide range of tools and channels, and to evaluate impact along the way.

14/10/2026

VIU has a new president: Professor Bernd Huber 🤝

Professor Bernd Huber became President of Venice International University on October 1, 2026, beginning a new phase in the history of the Venice International University consortium.

Professor Huber brings to the presidency a long-standing relationship with VIU. He has served on VIU’s Board of Directors since 2002 and headed its Strategic Committee. As a distinguished economist, Professor Huber’s research has focused on public finance, government and debt, European fiscal and monetary integration, international taxation, and labour markets. He served as President of LMU Munich from 2002 to 2025.

“VIU was founded on the value of bringing people together: students, scholars and professors from different countries, disciplines and academic traditions, sharing perspectives and learning from one another,” said Professor Huber. “This spirit of interdisciplinary and intercultural exchange remains at the core of VIU today. I look forward to working with our member institutions to build on this strong foundation and to explore new opportunities for collaboration, particularly in research.”

Professor Huber succeeds Ambassador Umberto Vattani, who has led VIU since 2001. VIU extends its appreciation to Ambassador Vattani, in recognition of his vision and dedication in shaping VIU into the distinctive international academic community it is today. Ambassador Vattani transitions now into his new role as Honorary President of VIU, and so will continue to contribute to the VIU's cultural, scientific and strategic initiatives and to its relations with international partners and institutions.

13/10/2026

❗ LAST CALL to apply to our PhD Academy on Current Issues in Environmental Peacebuilding

📅 When: February 22-26, 2027
📍 Where: Island of San Servolo in Venice
👉🏽 Applications deadline on October 20, 2026

🔗 https://www.univiu.org/study/phd-academy/environmental-peacebuilding

📢 : Current issues in Environmental Peacebuilding

📅 When: February 22-26, 2027
📍 Where: Venice, Island of San Servolo
👨🏻‍🎓 👩🏻‍🎓 Who can apply? Students who have already completed at least one year of their PhD, post-docs and junior researchers in Political science, public policy, environmental sciences, law, economics, geography, and gender studies.

🖋What is it about?
Environmental peacebuilding engages a range of disciplines, ranging from political science, political economy, and geography to law and environmental sciences. It examines the environmental dimensions of peacebuilding and the peace dimensions of furthering sustainable development. As the field has matured, scholars have examined how the environment and natural resource management are central to rebuilding war-torn societies for a sustainable peace.
Each day will include lectures/workshops led by faculty as well as dedicated time for PhD students to workshop a question, method, or chapter. The topics will cover a range of environmental issues, including:
- Conservation, Conflict and Environmental Peacebuilding
- Extractivism and Critical Minerals: Balancing the security-sustainability nexus
- War’s impact on the environment and infrastructure
- Local Governance and conflict resolution
- Legal institutions for protecting the environment during armed conflict and managing conflict resources
- Gender and environmental peacebuilding

💸 Full fee waiver scholarships are available for students from VIU member institutions. In addition, grant support is available to partially or fully cover the costs of international travel. Accommodation is provided free of charge.
Join us!

‼️ Call for applications is open until October 20, 2026, on the VIU website.
Apply Now 👉🏻 https://www.univiu.org/study/phd-academy/environmental-peacebuilding

12/10/2026

📖 Prof. Jörg Stolz from the Université de Lausanne

Presenting the two courses he will teach in the first semester of 2026 at VIU.

F2608 Identity, Heritage and Globalization. Secularization and Value Change: a Global Perspective
💡 A book representing the course could be “Sacred and Secular. Religion and Politics Worldwide” by Norris, Pippa and Ronald Inglehart.

F2612 Religions as Brands. The Marketization of Religions as Cultural Goods
💡 Prof. Stolz recommends “Brands of Faith: Marketing Religion in a Commercial Age” by Mara Einstein

➡️ Check out the full presentation on YouTube

09/10/2026

Ghetto and Guggenheim were the visits of the day 🌟

🎨 The students had a guided visit to the Guggenheim Museum of Venice with the “Gender Studies: Gender, Science, and the Arts” course.

🕯️ Another visit took place in the Venetian Ghetto for the “History of Venice” and “Monuments, Myths, and the Media: The Social Life of Memories” course.

08/10/2026

❗ LAST CALL to apply to our Winter School on Digital Rights: Theory and Practice

📅 When: January 25-29, 2027
📍 Where: Island of San Servolo in Venice
👉🏽 Applications deadline on October 20, 2026

🔗 To apply: https://www.univiu.org/study/summer-schools/winter-school-digital-rights

📢 : Digital Rights: Theory and Practice

📅 When: January 25-29, 2027
📍 Where: Venice, Island of San Servolo
👨🏻‍🎓 👩🏻‍🎓 Who can apply? Master’s Degree Students who intend to pursue doctoral studies and PhD Students in Law; Human Rights; International Relations; Political Science; Philosophy; Sociology.

🖋What is it about?
The School focuses on the intersecting domains of digital rights’ protection that arise from access to and use of data and digital services by various stakeholders. It offers a multidisciplinary approach to innovation, drawing on various methodologies, cross-sectoral studies, legal areas and social sciences. Topics include information technologies and human rights, the law and ethics of AI, AI data governance, the power of digital platforms in the global economy, the transformation of social and political rights in the age of AI, the risk of algorithmic discrimination, the dual use of AI in warfare, as well as the regulatory trends related to the latest developments and applications of frontier AI.

‼️ Call for applications is open until October 20, 2026, on the VIU website.

Apply Now 👉🏻 https://www.univiu.org/study/summer-schools/winter-school-digital-rights

06/10/2026

Meet Prof. Miriam Shefer from Tel Aviv University | אוניברסיטת תל-אביב ✨

🌍📚 She reflects on her experience teaching at Venice International University and working with our global student community.

👀 Check out her full interview on our website and on YouTube! https://youtu.be/rIBxrGQ4-YY?si=OZqXASxG-ODI3Jex

05/10/2026

📖 Prof. Alessandra Fornetti & Ilda Mannino from Venice International University - VIU

Presenting the course that they will co-teach in the first semester of 2026 at VIU.

F2613 Science Communication and Sustainability
💡 There are two main books that they recommend regarding Science Communication: the first one is “Science Communication: The Basics” by Massimiano Bucchi & Brian Trench, and the second is “Science Communication: Culture, Identity and Citizenship” by Sarah R. Davies and Maja Horst.

➡️ Check out the full presentation on YouTube

29/09/2026

💬 The “Digital Rights: Theory and Practice” will be back at the beginning of 2027 for its second edition. Hear from our previous participants!

📅 When: January 25-29, 2027
📍 Where: Island of San Servolo in Venice
👨🏻‍🎓 👩🏻‍🎓 Who can apply? Master’s Degree Students who intend to pursue doctoral studies and PhD Students in Law; Human Rights; International Relations; Political Science; Philosophy; Sociology.
👉🏽 How: applications open until October 20 via the VIU website

🤖 The School focuses on the intersecting domains of digital rights’ protection that arise from access to and use of data and digital services by various stakeholders. It offers a multidisciplinary approach to innovation, drawing on various methodologies, cross-sectoral studies, legal areas and social sciences. Topics include information technologies and human rights, the law and ethics of AI, AI data governance, the power of digital platforms in the global economy, the transformation of social and political rights in the age of AI, the risk of algorithmic discrimination, the dual use of AI in warfare, as well as the regulatory trends related to the latest developments and applications of frontier AI.

28/09/2026

📖 Prof. Márcia Rego from Duke University

Presenting the two courses he will teach in the first semester of 2026 at VIU.

F2605 Intercultural Communication: Translating the Culture Shock. Towards Intercultural Understanding
💡 The students will be asked to keep a Venice journal to keep track of the cultural differences they notice during their time here.

F2619 Monuments, Myths, and the Media: The Social Life of Memories
💡 Students will interview one other to collect oral histories of their families and ethnic, national, or religious communities.

➡️ Check out the full presentation on YouTube