Venice International University (VIU) is an international higher education and research center on the island of San Servolo, just a few minutes away from St. Mark’s square, the heart of the city of Venice.

VIU was founded in 1995, as a joint venture between the two Venetian Universities (Ca’ Foscari and Iuav), the Province of Venice, LMU from Munich, UAB from Barcelona, Duke University (Durham, USA) and the Foundation of Venice. Since then, VIU has grown to include, along with the founding members, a total of eleven renowned international Universities and important Italian Institutions.

The mission of VIU is to offer advanced training and research in an international context, by promoting the exchange of ideas and knowledge. Each year VIU welcomes professors, researchers and about two hundred students of different nationalities who live together, study and carry out research on its campus. Moreover, VIU brings to the city of Venice and its mainland a prolific range of academic and scientific activities focussed mainly on innovation and environment.