One of the great pleasures I have had as Rector of the University of Lausanne is the discovery of Venice International University in its stunning location, on the San Servolo island in the Venice laguna. Venice International University now groups twenty universities from all parts of the world, which work together to offer, every year, opportunities for their students and faculties to learn, think, and teach about global problems, and to spend a semester rich in interactions with fellow students and colleagues from the entire world. For the University of Lausanne, this has meant some 25 students and 10 faculty members spending one or two semesters at VIU in the last few years, and many faculty members participating in various forms of summer teaching (summer schools, graduate semainrs and so forth).
Covid-19 has struck hard on universities depending heavily on students and faculty coming from abroad, but VIU has raised to the challenge and passed with flying colors: classes were rapidly transferred on line, but more importantly, the possibility of combining distant learning with on site classes quickly imposed itself as a way to expand greatly VIU's reach among the students and faculty of its member universities. It may be complicated (albeit delightful) to move to Venice for an entire semester, it is a much easier affair to spend there a few days or weeks.
With the increasing awareness of the need to achieve, urgently, social and environmental sustainability, VIU's emphasis on these issues is more topical than ever. And what better fitting place than Venice, one of the most amazing, beautiful, and visited cities in the world, but also one of the of most threatened by climate change and the rise of oceans, to host programs focused on global challenges and, put simply, our future.
Professor Nouria Hernandez
Rector, UNIL
