VIU News
On April 10, 2014 the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Michele Valensise intervened during the Training Academy for Democratic Governance with a presentation on "L'engagement international de l'Italie dans le domaine des droits de l'homme et la lutte contre la violence sur le femme".
The Academy for Training in "Democratic Governance for Young Professionals of Southern Mediterranean Countries" was set up at Venice International University in cooperation with EIUC and the Council of Europe. A series of courses on "Democratic Governance for Young Professionals of Southern Mediterranean Countries" are planned for the training of the new generation of Arab country leaders, the goal of which is to build a bridge between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean.
Human rights were prominent among the themes of the course, attended by 14 participants from Morocco, 16 from Tunisia and 7 from Algeria, 25 of whom were women and 10 men. The same theme was at the centre of the intervention by Secretary General Michele Valensise. The course was organised by the Council of Europe in collaboration with the European Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation (EIUC) and Venice International University (VIU), and is part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe "Strengthening Democratic reform in the Southern Neighbourhood" (South Programme).
On February 20, 2014 at 3pm, VIU will host the first social event for visiting scholars of the fledgling
Venice Research District.
The goal of the District is to strengthen the network of research organizations in the Venice area, in order to achieve excellence in research, innovation and technological transfer and to develop innovative joint projects and programs. Interdisciplinarity and internationalization are key, and will form the foundation of a competitive advantage in national and international funding applications.
Through the Venice Research District, Venice can become an attractive international campus for visiting professors and scholars who will benefit from the enhanced network of research institutions. Professors of Venice International University’s member universities will have the opportunity to meet colleagues and access the facilities and services (eg. the libraries) of other institutions in Venice.
The Venetian Research District is the outcome of the commitment undertaken by signatories of the Joint Venice Statement for Collaborative Research, signed on the occasion of the UNESCO World Science Day in 2011, whose first aim is to promote the development of scientific research within an effective collaboration in agreement with the fundamental principles of the freedom of movement and the freedom of expression as expressed in Article 33 of the Italian Constitution.
On November 8, 2013, Venice International University obtained the release, from Det Norske Veritas (DNV), of the Quality Management System ISO 9001:2008 certification for the "Design and provision of undergraduate, graduate and advanced training courses and programs".
ISO 9001:2008 is an internationally recognized standard, which proves that VIU quality management system has been certified against a best practice standard and found compliant. The standard applies to the processes with an impact on quality and emphasises continual improvement and customer satisfaction.
Learn more about ISO Certifications here
VIU – ISO 9001: 2008 certificate
Ecomondo (November 6-9, Rimini, Italy) is one of the most important fairs on green technologies and lifestyles both at national and international level. It is also a place where new models of economic growth, driven by a focus on innovation and clean technologies, are discussed by different stakeholders, such as trade associations, governments, NGO's and all types of industries and goods manufacturers.
Città Sostenibile (Sustainable City) is one of the collateral events offering an excellent occasion to present examples of best practices for the sustainability of cities and to discuss their interdisciplinary aspects at botha European and international level.
On November 7, Città Sostenibile will host the conference “Sustainable Universities”, focusing on the experiences of different Italian Universities on this matter. Universities, as education and training places, could play a very effective role as promoters of projects, strategies and actions coherent with the concept of Sustainable Development.
VIU will be present both at the Conference and with a stand to share the activities and programs carried out to promote the development of a Sustainable Society among relevant stakeholders.
More information can be found at Ecomondo official website and in the conference program at this link (only in Italian).
VIU President Umberto Vattani officially presented the new VIU logo at the Opening Ceremony of the VIU Fall Term. Watch its genesis! Designed by Studio Cheste, Venezia.
The Executive Committee of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has enthusiastically approved Venice International University membership in the Network.
The Solutions Network is a UN initiative launched by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on August 9 2012 as a new, independent global network of research centres, universities and technical institutions to help to find solutions for some of the world's most pressing environmental, social and economic problems.
The Solutions Network mobilizes scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector in support of sustainable development problem solving at local, national, and global scales.
VIU will bring its contribution on research, solution initiatives, and policy work. Integrated approach is at the basis of both VIU and SDSN work.
The 2013 edition of the European Summer School in Resources and Environmental Economics, organized by EAERE, FEEM and VIU, will be held on the island of San Servolo on June 30 - July 6, 2013.
Uncertainty, Innovation and Climate Change is the theme of this edition of the Summer School.
For more information read here
The 14th edition of the CESifo Venice Summer Institute, held in cooperation with Venice International University, will take place at VIU on July 22 - 27, 2013.
The Institute focuses on themes of current interest in European and global economic policy, bringing together international economists for workshops, panel meetings and discussion.
For more information read here
The Campus of Venice International University (VIU) on the island of San Servolo will be the magnificent scenario of AQUAE, the new Exhibition by Oliviero Rainaldi on the occasion of the 55th Venice Art Biennale.
Ten sculptures inspired by water – AQUAE - will be on show in the unique framework of the island of San Servolo from May 29 to November 24, 2013. The choice of the VIU campus, with its gardens and inner courtyards, as a setting for his exhibition represents an intriguing experiment for Oliviero Rainaldi and a stimulating opportunity for Professors and Students from all over the world who visit the island for their daily activities.
The theme of Water has already been explored by the Italian artist in two important exhibitions held in Villa Aldobrandini, Rome (2009), and in Villa Pisani, Venice (2010).
The way Rainaldi's works interacts with the unique setting of the VIU Campus, among the trees, the lagoon and the ancient buildings, is a special feature of the Exhibition.
The artworks confirm Oliviero Rainaldi's ability to experiment with different materials, such as glass, tin, bronze and gold. An 8-meter tall staele covered in gold leaf and running water will overlook the lagoon towards the Venice Giardini, representing the everlasting bond between Rainaldi and his old master and friend Fabio Mauri.
Exhibition dates: May 29 – November 24, 2013
Opening: May 29-31, 2013
Presentation of the catalogue: May 31, 11 am
On Saturday, April 20, 2013, under the presidency of Ambassador Umberto Vattani, the VIU Assembly voted unanimously to admit the European University at St. Petersburg (EUSP) into the Consortium.
Oleg Kharkhordin, Rector of the European University at St. Petersburg, expressed his appreciation and enthusiasm: "We are very happy to join Venice International University. We will collaborate on different projects, especially in the field of Republican Studies, self-governing community but especially on Art History: a unique and long-lasting relationship links the EUSP to the Hermitage Museum as its Director, Mikhail Piotrovsky, is also Chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees".
The European University at St. Petersburg is a non-state graduate university located in St. Petersburg, Russia. It was founded in 1994. Today the University is widely recognised as one of the leading academic institutions in Humanities and Social Sciences in Russia.
EUSP joins the other 11 Universities that compose the VIU Consortium: Duke and Boston College (USA), Tsinghua and Tongji (P.R. of China), Waseda (Japan), Tel Aviv (Israel), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (Germany), Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain) and the Italian Universities Ca’ Foscari, IUAV and Università di Padova.
Press release (in Italian)
The recent publication of the annual Times Higher Education - World University rankings confirms the academic excellence and prestigious reputation of the VIU Member Universities.
Five out of the eleven Universities which constitute the VIU network ranked among the top 200 Universities in the world:
# 023 Duke University
# 048 LMU
# 052 Tsinghua University
# 150 Boston College
# 158 Tel Aviv University
Under the Presidency of Ambassador Vattani the University of Padua has joined VIU this year.
The University of Padua is the second oldest University in Italy. Along with such Universities as Bologna, Paris, Oxford and Cambridge, that of Padua was one of the first to exemplify the idea of a Gymnasium Omnium Disciplinarum.
Today, the University of Padua covers all fields of academic teaching and research and it is very active in the field of international cooperation.
In the past years VIU and its Members Universities have joined in several initiatives with Padua. A new project, the Digital Workshop Space, Time and City, Training and Teaching in a Digital Laboratory is about to start involving experts and professors of the Iuav University of Venice, Duke University and the University of Padua.
Find out more about next week's activities!
Find out more about next week's activities!
Find out more about next week's activities!
Find out more about next week's activities!
New extended Opening Hours
From Monday March 16, 2026
New extended Opening Hours
From Monday March 23, 2026
Find out more about next week's activities!
Regulations regarding compulsory attendance at VIU and special arrangements, as also available in the Program Regulations section.
