Study in Venice
Posted On 12/09/2022
The new academic year is almost upon us and with it the opportunity for students in Venice to participate in the Erasmus veneziano programme (Venetian Erasmus). Still don't know about it? This is our interview to Riccardo, a student of Iuav who attended courses at the Venice Academy of Fine Arts within this interesting city student-exchange project.
Hey, would you like to introduce yourself?
My name is Riccardo, I come from a small town near Treviso and I have just finished the second year of my master's degree in Architecture at Iuav University of Venice.
Last year you took part in the 'Erasmus veneziano', right? How did you find out about this programme?
Exactly. When I was looking for some information about Iuav after high school, I read about this opportunity on its website, that students had the chance to attend some courses in other higher education institutions in Venice.
Was it easy to find the information you needed?
Yes, easy enough. I sent an e-mail to the contact office of the Venice Academy of Fine Arts and they gave me a list of courses to choose from.
What courses did you choose?
I attended two courses at the Fine Arts Academy in their beautiful building located along the fondamenta (street) of Zattere. One course was 'Design Methodology', while the other was 'Art direction'. Both courses are different from pure architecture, but, nevertheless, I had an interest in those areas.
Did you enjoy them?
Yes, they were both very interesting. One course was theoretical-practical and the other mainly practical and therefore there was a physical component to be done working on the computer with softwares such as Illustrator and Photoshop.
How was the reception at the Academy?
People there were very helpful and understanding, especially with respect to the fact that I had to manage the courses in two different universities. It happened a few times that I was not able to attend some lessons because of this.
Any differences compared to the courses you usually attend at Iuav and the final tests?
They are similar, especially with respect to the design aspect which we have at Iuav and that I found in the Academy, that is, building the final evaluation step by step during the course.
And what about the two institutions more generally?
I believe that Iuav approach is more formal, from the courses to the relationships with professors. While the atmosphere in the Fine Arts Academy seemed to me more informal and familiar.
In your opinion, what are the advantages of participating in the 'Erasmus veneziano'?
For me the main advantage was being able to study subjects not covered in my university and therefore being able to range in different study areas, on any discipline or subject.
Any obstacle that you found in this path?
Some course timeslots inevitably overlapped. I think this was the main problem, so I had to choose courses that didn't overlap too much. However, as I said earlier, at the Academy I met an understanding staff who helped me a lot.
Would you participate in 'Erasmus veneziano' again?
Of course! To tell the truth, my first idea was to take this opportunity from the very first year at Iuav University, but for many reasons it couldn't be. But finally I managed to do so in the last year of my master's degree. It is an opportunity that I would recommend to everyone.
Would you like to know more about this programme? Find all the details and useful contacts in its webpage.
Click here to download the Venetian Erasmus 2022/2023 poster.