Duke University Global Education Office for Undergraduates

Duke in Venice

Duke in Venice is based at Venice International University (VIU), located on the island of San Servolo. VIU is an association of universities and organizations from around the world. The partners are:

• Boston College
• Duke University
• Ludwig Maximilians Universität (Germany)
• Tel Aviv University (Israel)
• Tilburg University (Netherlands)
• Tongji University of Shanghai (China)
• Tsinghua University of Beijing (China)
• Ca' Foscari University of Venice (Italy)
• University Iuav of Venice (Italy)
• Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain)
• Waseda University of Tokyo (Japan)
• Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - CNR (Italy)
• Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare (Italy)
• Provincia di Venezia (Italy)
 

Faculty from the partner universities offer courses  at VIU, all taught in English. Students will have the opportunity to take courses from all of these international scholars, and will enjoy a truly international academic experience by mixing with their European peers. Although no previous knowledge of Italian is required, it is strongly recommended that students begin study of the language before arriving in Venice. Italian language will be a required course for students on the Duke in Venice program.

Students will have access to the libraries of the two Venetian institutions. Computer labs, including e-mail, will be available at VIU.

All participants are subject to Duke University's scholarship and conduct. For details on these policies, see http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/conduct/resources/azpolicies


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Postcard from Abroad

Dear Office of Study Abroad:

I didn't know a word of Italian. I knew nothing of Italian traditions, customs, culture, politics or history, save for nominal bits of information here and there.

When I went to Venice, all of that changed. I became fascinated by the language, enraptured by the Zeitgeist of modern Italy, and infinitely enraged by Italian service. Three months into the Duke in Venice program, I began to realize how much I had grown through the program. Though I changed in many ways, my competency in Italian language was what stood out the most.

I went to a sports bar-type restaurant to watch the second leg of a Champions League match between FC Bayern München and Arsenal. I knew from a previous visit to that restaurant that there was a tourist menu and a Venetian menu, where the tourist menu was grossly overpriced. I asked for the Venetian menu (though I'm clearly not Venetian) and he responded with a suspicious look. He then asked me a barrage of questions--in Italian--about where I was from, what I was doing, and how long I would be in Venice. Apparently, I passed the test because the bill was only about 20 Euros, when I could have easily expected 40 Euros with the tourist menu.

I did not expect to be able to become that comfortable with Italian. Duke in Venice turned out to be far more than a semester abroad. I have become enamored of Italian films, entranced by Italian art, and dedicated to continuing my studies in Italian language. Today, after having taken only one Italian language course, I am enrolled in Italian Socio-Linguistics, for which there are an astounding 4 prerequisite Italian language courses.

Although I am unsure of how far I will go in learning the language, one sure thing is that I will never forget that Duke in Venice was easily the most productive and amazing semester in my Duke Career.

– Andy Yun

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