Rome, Italy

The World in Rome

Are you fascinated with phenomena of intercultural exchange and international co-operation? Then this Summer school in Rome might be the thing for you. Rome fascinates for at least two reasons. Firstly, because its millennial history as a real and perceived ‘centre of the world’ provides numerous examples of international networks or communities, either religious, artistic, political and diplomatic, or scientific. Secondly because Rome still lives up to its appellation ‘caput mundi’. Partly thanks to its symbolic value, it is still today a unique cross-cultural ‘hub’, presenting a fascinating window to our globalized world. These historical and contemporary dimensions have many lessons to teach, about respectful international collaboration and fruitful intercultural dialogue, but also about rivalries, conflict, abuse and oppression.

As a unique gateway to this theme, a crucial role in this course is to be played by the foreign academies and institutes in Rome. In their capacity of bridges between tradition and modernity, and between national and supranational perspectives, they form one of the primary subjects of investigation.

The programme will feature lectures by specialists from various disciplines and excursions to many different sites in Rome. Students will actively engage in discussions and deliver an on-site presentation.

The course offers a unique opportunity to get to know Rome as an international hub in past and present; learn about relevant academic concepts and discourse, and – last but not least – to personally experience intercultural exchange and international cooperation in a highly diverse group of staff and students.


This summer school is developed in the context of ENLIGHT, a European University formed by ten comprehensive, research-intensive universities from ten European countries (Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland).

Course leader

Dr. Asker Pelgrom, ISR (University Services) & KNIR

Target group

The course is open to students from all disciplines. The main target group are (advanced) undergraduate students. However, graduate students are also invited to apply. In the latter case, students are responsible for obtaining prior approval of their home Board of Examiners (in view of recognition of credits).

Minimum requirement: 2nd year Bachelor students with nominal study progress at the time of application.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

Course aim

After this course you will be able to:

- Obtain general familiarity with the main historical developments of the city of Rome from the early modern age to the present, in particular concerning (traces of) foreign presences in Rome.
- Become acquainted with different disciplinary approaches, concepts and discourse relating to intercultural exchange and international cooperation; apply these to a case study, either historical or modern.
- Collaborate effectively within a diverse team on research about a specific object, monument, location or institution in the city of Rome, deploying different methods (e.g. textual and visual analysis, interviews, fieldwork).
- Communicate the outcomes of this research to an audience with a general academic background in an oral presentation; receive and process feedback.

Credits info

5 EC
Total workload is 140 hours, consisting of:

- Independent study of course material and preparatory assignment: 28 hours
- Intensive summer school programme in Rome (12 days): active participation in excursions and discussions, preparations, oral presentation: 84 hours
- After the summer school, concluding personal reflection: 28 hours

Assessment takes place on the basis of preparatory study and assignment of course material (30%), active participation, oral presentation (40%), and the concluding reflection (30%).

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 140 hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Fee info

EUR 350: for UG and ENLIGHT students

The fee includes lodging in Rome, 1 welcoming dinner and entrance fees for excursions. It does not include travel costs to and from Rome, local transport and personal expenses, such as meals.
EUR 750: for all other students

The fee includes lodging in Rome, 1 welcoming dinner and entrance fees for excursions. It does not include travel costs to and from Rome, local transport and personal expenses, such as meals.