Our university has taken an important new step in its international efforts and become a member of the Venice International University (VIU) Consortium. With this membership, our University will strengthen its international university network and offer a new knowledge and experience sharing platform for students, researchers, and academics.
Founded in 1995 to develop joint programs across disciplines, continents, languages, and cultures, VIU is an international organization that offers an innovative approach to higher education. VIU, which has an autonomous structure in its academic field in Italy, has 25 members from 15 different countries of the world, including Duke University (USA), Boston College (USA), Korea University (Korea), KU Leuven (Belgium), European University at St. Petersburg (Russia), University of Exeter (England), Ludwig Maximilians Universität (Germany), Tsinghua University (China), Tel Aviv University (Israel), Tor Vergata University of Rome (Italy), University of Bordeaux (France), Waseda University (Japan), and the University of Lausanne (Switzerland). Sabancı University has become the first and only higher education institution from Turkey to become a member of the Consortium.
Our President Yusuf Leblebici stated that the collaboration with VIU creates a new international, interdisciplinary, and intercultural opportunity in the fields of education and research. He continued, "The VIU Consortium aims to contribute to addressing the environmental, societal, and cultural issues faced by humanity today and their local effects. It has a structure that overlaps with our university's interdisciplinary education approach. In this sense, it creates a new initiative in terms of supporting the education and research carried out in the fields of humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences at our university with an innovative approach.”
A statement made by VIU said, “Sabancı University's reputation for academic excellence and innovation in Turkey adds a valuable dimension to VIU's diverse community. Sabancı University's emphasis on fostering creativity, entrepreneurship, and global citizenship aligns with VIU's mission of promoting interdisciplinary cooperation and tackling complex societal issues."
Along with Sabancı University, IUSS Pavia (Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS di Pavia) from Italy was also included in the VIU Consortium. In its statement, VIU said, “The entry of IUSS Pavia and Sabancı University into the VIU consortium not only enhances the diversity of perspectives within our community but also strengthens our collective capacity to address the multifaceted challenges of the 21st century.”
Focus Areas and Specialization Tracks
- The following topics are addressed by assorted VIU programs
- Sustainability | Environmental Management & Security; Green & Circular Economy
- Innovation | Transport & Logistics; Creativity, Innovation and Design
- Globalization & Global Challenges | Cities and Global Change; Identity, Heritage, Ethics & Human Rights; Comparative Cultures
- Science and Society | Science Communication; Ageing Societies; Ethics in Research and Medicine
- Humanities | Cultural Heritage Conservation & Management; Visualizing Cities; Global Humanities; History and Memory; Environmental Humanities; Republics and Republicanism; Film Studies.
VIU also offers academic programs and summer schools for students, workspaces, seminars, and project training opportunities for academics and researchers.
For detailed information about the VIU Consortium, you can visit https://www.univiu.org/.