The Water and the Future of Venice program provides undergraduate students with a forum and a framework for learning about global issues from experts and peers around the world. You, the undergraduate student participant, will sharpen your cross-cultural and collaborative skills, enhance your global network, and build your professional portfolios.
Overview & Academics
Water and the Future of Venice is a program run by the University of Warwick and brought to Columbia University students in partnership with the Columbia University School of Climate Science, University of Warwick and Columbia’s Center for Global Engagement.
The program offers 4 points of Columbia credit for a module entitled A Sustainable Serenissima: Water and the Future of Venice, taken for credit through the University of Warwick in Venice at the Warwick Venice Centre. The module examines the ways in which contemporary Venice confronts sustainability challenges and develops resilience. Students will have an opportunity to work on the final deliverable (case study/research) for the course through the summer.
We will consider past, present, and future threats to a sustainable Venice, along with complex and unique local solutions using the three main pillars of sustainability (social, environmental, and economic areas) as lenses to focus our interdisciplinary discussions.
The theme of ‘water’ will serve as a conceptual anchor to ground our consideration of issues such as rising sea levels, urbanization, resource management, energy production, and distribution, along with historical Venetian industries such as publishing, shipbuilding, munitions, glassmaking, finance, and tourism. We will also consider Venice’s long tradition of hospitality as a sanctuary city and the challenges Venice faces when welcoming migrants and refugees today.
Schedule
This module will take place 10-28 June 2024:
Prep week (virtual): 10-14 June 2024
Teaching (in Venice): 17-28 June 2024
Final assessment deadline is: w/c 30 September 2024
More information about the module & program are available via the University of Warwick program site: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/studentopportunity/studentmobility/studyabroad/opportunities/short-term/wiisp/modules/serenissima.
Academic Credit
Students will receive a transcript from the University of Warwick (UK) for the in-country portion of the Venice Collaboratory. Columbia University students will earn 4 points of transfer credit for the module.
For Columbia College, Columbia Engineering, and General Studies students, the Venice Collaboratory can be taken for transfer credit to fulfill requirements in Earth and Environmental Biology, Sustainable Development, and Urban Studies.
Other students should check with their major/concentration departments to discuss course credit and their major/concentration requirements.
Regardless of transfer credit status, all students are expected to participate in all aspects of the course, including assessment and other deliverables.
Housing
Students are responsible for coordinating and paying for their own housing and should budget $600 to $1000 per week for the onsite portion of the program. Upon acceptance into the program, you will be provided with a list of housing options that have been used in the past, but participants are not required to use the list, and students will be responsible for securing and paying for housing while in Venice for the program.
Eligibility and Application
ELIGIBILITY
Must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student in good academic and disciplinary standing
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
Please note: Barnard students interested in the opportunity should reach out to their Barnard Study Abroad Office and/or ar3994@columbia.edu.
HOW TO APPLY
Want to apply? Click the “Start Your Application" button at the top of this page. If the button doesn't appear above, the program is not yet accepting applications. You will be asked to set up a short profile, which will allow us to send you relevant information about your application. Once you’ve created a profile, you will see a checklist of items that you will need to submit. These generally include:
- Application questionnaire(s)
- Personal statement
Students must apply to Columbia to participate. Students who are accepted and confirm participation will be expected to complete the registration process with both Columbia and our partner (the University of Warwick).
Financial Considerations
TUITION AND FEES
The total tuition and program fee is offered at a reduced rate of $1,500 for 4 points of transfer credit. Students will be registered for a "Summer Study Abroad" placeholder course in SSOL and charged an administrative fee of $750. The remaining $750 will be paid in the application portal by April 1, 2024.
Students are responsible for coordinating and paying for their own housing and should budget $600 to $1000 per week for the onsite portion of the program. Upon acceptance into the program, you will be provided with a list of housing options that have been used in the past, but participants are not required to use the list, and students will be responsible for securing and paying for housing while in Venice for the program.
FINANCIAL AID
For Columbia College and SEAS students, contact the CC/SEAS Financial Aid & Educational Planning to understand if any of your federal financial aid may cover enrollment costs for a summer program. Please note the Columbia Grant is not available for summer studies.
For General Studies students, if you receive financial aid at Columbia University, you will often remain eligible for aid as long as you take a minimum of 6 points during the Summer term. Please contact the GS Office of Educational Financing for more information
