Italy is bursting with beauty. From famous cities like Venice, Rome and Florence to varied landscapes with mountains and hills, lakes and an endless Mediterranean coastline, Italy has a lot to offer. Not to mention the delicious food! It’s no wonder that in Germany, Italy is considered the holiday destination par excellence. However, when going on a holiday, you can only so much as scratch the surface. How about a semester abroad to really get to know Italian culture on a deeper level?

In our "Partner Country of the Month" campaign, we want to shine a spotlight on the countries, regions and partner universities of TU Dresden that our students can get to know during a semester abroad.

Table of contents

1. 1. General facts and figures about Italy
   2. Did you know that ....?
   3. Erasmus+Cooperations with Italian Universities
   4. Don't miss...
   5. Let's get cooking...
   6. Contact and further contact persons
      1. Do you want to get first-hand information?
   7. Partner Countries Archive

General facts and figures about Italy

Capital: Rome
Population: 58,9 million
Official language: Italian; plus regionally recognized languages such as Ladin or German
National holiday: Festa della Repubblica on 2 June (founding of the Italian republic)
Currency: Euro

You can find further facts and figures on Wikipedia and Britannica.com. Have a look at myitaliandiaries.com or Wikivoyage for travel information.

Small language excursion:

• Hello / See you – Ciao
• What’s your name? – Come ti chiami?
• Nice to meet you – Piacere di conoscerti
• Good morning – Buongiorno
• Excuse me – Mi scusi
• Where is …? – Dov’è …?
• I don’t understand – Non capisco
• Thank you – Grazie

Italian, like Spanish and French, is a Romance language. As they are all descended from Latin, they share a lot of similarities in their vocabulary. Therefore, speaking another Romance language gives you a good head start when learning Italian.

But wait, the Italian language doesn't actually exist, as Italy is a young country that was only unified in the 19th century. Before, its many regions were independent states and they all developed their own dialects. Those are often difficult to understand for Italians from other regions, and some are even categorised as their own language. Regional diversity in language and traditions is important to Italians, with northern and southern Italy in particular differing a lot. Fortunately for those willing to learn the language, there is also the (more formal) Standard Italian, which is based on Tuscan-Florentine dialect. 

At our partner universities you can attend courses in Italian and English. Many of them have a wide selection of courses in both languages. The language certificates you need for your application depend on the partner university and your study preferences. Please check the requirements at your university of choice before applying.

Speaking Italian will definitely help you in making friends and immersing yourself in Italian culture. Only around a third of Italians speak English, so you will get to practice a lot and your Italian skills will improve quickly. You can study Italian in Dresden at TUDIAS or VHS (starting from German) and use many free online resources. At TU Dresden, the Centre for Italian Studies offers events and podcasts on Italy and Italian.

Did you know that ....?

• eyeglasses are an Italian invention? Magnifying glasses were already in use in antiquity, but it was in 13th century Italy that eyeglasses first took on a wearable form. Italy’s list of important inventions is long. It includes the battery, thermometer, piano, banks, modern musical notation, denim fabric, the Gregorian calendar and Europe’s first university.

• having a heart attack is practically impossible for some Italians? On the small island of Limone sul Garda in Italy, some residents carry a genetic mutation that prevents their blood vessels from clogging up. Even without the mutation, Italians have one of the highest life expectancies in the world. The causes might well lie in strong family ties and a healthy Mediterranean diet.

• there is a hill in Rome entirely made up of olive oil containers from antiquity? Over the course of two and a half centuries, Monte Testaccio was piled up from the shards of millions of amphorae used to transport olive oil. The ancient metropolis imported at least 7.5 million litres per year from various provinces of the empire. Today, olive oil remains an essential ingredient. In total numbers, Italy is the world's number one consumer of olive oil.

• Italy has the original volcano, at least in terms of its name? The term is derived from the island of Vulcano, once considered the forge of Roman fire god Vulcanus. However, Italy has more famous specimens than the original, such as Europe's highest volcano Etna, the continuously active Stromboli, and Vesuvius, infamous for having buried Pompeii. No wonder Italy became the cradle of modern volcanology.

• Italy encloses two miniature states? One is the Vatican, centre of the Catholic Church and the smallest state in the world, both in terms of area and population. The other one is San Marino, considered the oldest republic in the world and the last survivor among the once numerous self-governing Italian communities that existed during the Middle Ages.

• you can drink from over 2,500 large noses in Rome? Sounds disgusting, but that is quite unwarranted. The nasoni are free public drinking fountains that supply fresh water through their characteristically curved spouts. They can be found on almost every street, so carrying a reusable bottle is worth it. An abundant supply of water is something of a tradition in Italy’s capital: Ancient Rome fed its fountains through an extensive system of aqueducts, some of which are still in use today.

Erasmus+Cooperations with Italian Universities

You can find all cooperations of TU Dresden in our database. Under Questionnaires, the experiences of previous exchange students can help you with impressions of our partner universities. Asking professors in your own faculty who might have direct contacts to your partner university of choice is also a good idea. Here you can find the contact persons and application deadlines for your faculty.

Our Partner Universities in Northern Italy

• University of Bergamo - Roman Studies
• Università degli Studi 'Alma Mater Studiorum' di Bologna - Philosophy, Roman Studies, Political Science, International Relations
• Libera Università di Bolzano - Freie Universität Bozen - Transport and Economics, Social Pedagogy, General Education Science
• Università degli Studi di Genova (Genoa) - Landscape Architecture, Mechanical Engineering (Faculty)
• Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia - Roman Studies
• Università Telematica eCampus in Novedrate - Roman Studies
• Università degli Studi di Padova (Padua) - Aerospace Engineering, Natural Materials Technology, Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Roman Studies, Forest Sciences, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology, Hydro Sciences
• Università degli Studi di Parma - Physics
• Università degli Studi di Pavia - Business Administration and Economics
• Università degli Studi di Torino (Turin) - Political Science, German as a Foreign Language, History
• Politecnico di Torino (Turin) - Mechanical Engineering (Faculty), Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
• University of Trento - Sociology, Roman Studies, Business Administration and Economics, Civil Engineering, History of art, International Relations, History, Political Science
• Università degli Studi di Trieste - Business Administration and Economics
• Tuscia University - Forest Science, German as a Foreign Language
• Università degli Studi di Udine - History of art, Physics
• Università degli Studi dell’Insubria in Varese - Chemistry and Food Chemistry  
• Università degli Studi ‚Ca‘Foscari’ di Venezia (Venice) - Business Administration and Economics, Philosophy, History,  Roman Studies, Computer Science
• Università IUAV di Venezia (Venice) - Architecture
• University of Verona - Roman Studies, History of art

Universities in Milan

• Politecnico di Milano - Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Landscape Architecture, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture
• Università degli Studi di Milano - History of Art, Medicine, International Relations
• Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - History, Roman Studies

Our Partner Universities in Central Italy

• Università degli studi di Cassino e del Lazio Meridionale - German as a Foreign Language
• Università degli Studi di Firenze (Florence) - Civil Engineering, Philosophy, Roman Studies, Architecture, Mathematics, Physics
• University of Perugia - Civil Engineering, Political Science
• Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa - History
• Università degli Studi di Pisa - Roman Studies, Philosophy, Medicine, Process and Environmental Engineering
• University for Foreigners of Siena - Roman Studies
• Università degli Studi di Urbino ‚Carlo Bo’ - Business Administration and Economics

Universities in Rome

• Università degli Studi di Roma ‚La Sapienza’ - Sociology, Business Administration and Economics, Roman Studies, Fluid Mechanics, Political Science, Chemistry and Food Chemistry
• Università degli Studi di Roma ‚Tor Vergata’ - Roman Studies
• Università degli Studi di Roma Tre - Transport and Economics
• Libera Università degli Studi di Maria Ss. Assunta di Roma - Sociology, International Relations
• Scuola Superiore per Mediatori Linguistici (SSML) ‘Gregorio VII’ - Roman Studies

Our Partner Universities in Southern Italy

• Università degli Studi dell’Aquila - Architecture
• Technical University of Bari - Fluid Mechanics
• Università degli Studi di Catania, Sicily - Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Physics
• Università degli Studi 'Magna Graecia' di Catanzaro - Sociology
• University of Calabria in Cosenza - History, German as a Foreign Language
• Università degli Studi di Messina, Sicily - Roman Studies
• Università degli Studi di Palermo, Sicily - History
• Università degli Studi della Basilicata in Potenza - History
• Università degli Studi di Salerno - Civil Engineering, Sociology, Medicine

Universities in Naples

• Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II - Philosophy, Transport Engineering, History of art, Process and Environmental Engineering, Geosciences, Civil Engineering
• Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘L’Orientale’ - German Language and Literature
• Università degli Studi di Napoli ‚Parthenope’ - Computer Science
• Università degli Studi ‚Suor Orsola Benincasa’ - Communication Science
• Università degli Studi della Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’ in Napoli (international website) - Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Biology

Don't miss...

Cinque Terre. These five colourful villages nestling on the craggy rock formations of the Italian Riviera can be reached by beautiful hiking trails that lead from village to village along the cliffs. This is perfect for a day trip or weekend stay - depending on how much time you want to spend enjoying the views of the wine terraces and the coastline, taking breaks for a swim and exploring the villages (and their gelaterias). Cinque Terre is easy to reach by train from our partner cities Genoa and Pisa.

La notte di San Lorenzo. When the Perseids pass by the earth in August, they create a meteor shower of many shooting stars. Italians use it as an opportunity to celebrate. On 10 August, people spend the summer night outside together with friends and family, eating, talking, and watching for shooting stars. Visibility is particularly good on the beach or in the mountains.

The art museums of Florence. The capital city of Tuscany is considered the cradle of the Renaissance and was a flourishing centre of fine arts during that time. Nowadays, the museums of Florence contain some of the most renowned collections in the world. In the Galleria degli Uffizi, you can marvel at art from antiquity to the late Baroque period, including famous paintings by artists such as Boticelli, Caravaggio and Leonardo da Vinci. For the Galleria dell'Accademia, the special highlight are famous statues by Michelangelo. Better book your tickets in advance!

Defy your fear of heights. The mountains of Basilicata near our partner city of Potenza offer great opportunities. On a zipline between the picturesque mountain villages of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano, you can fly over the valley like an angel at speeds of up to 120 km/h. Volo dell'Angelo is mainly open in summer. Or how about walking the bridge to the moon and seeing its breathtaking views? If that is not for you: The region also has an impressive stalactite cave traversed by an underground river.

Let's get cooking...

Italian cuisine is world-famous for dishes like pizza, pasta and gelato. However, in addition to these classics, there is so much to discover in Italy, thanks to the numerous and diverse regional specialities. One example is cheese: Italy has over 2,500 different traditional cheeses, more than any other country in the world. The wine culture is also particularly diverse.

One thing that all of Italy has in common is how meals are set up. They usually consist of several courses. Antipasti are served first, such as insalata caprese (made from tomatoes and mozzarella), bruschetta, or olives. This is followed by the carbohydrate-forward primo piatto (pasta, gnocchi, risotto, soup, ...) and then the protein-rich secondo piatto (fish, meat, eggs, vegetables, ...). After the main courses, there are dolci like tiramisù, panna cotta or some cake, and a caffè (espresso) to round off the meal.

Pizza napoletana

Pizza is probably the most popular food in the world. There are countless delicious variations, but this is the original – Pizza Margherita from Naples. Its ingredients may be simple, but using the methods of a Napolitan pizza chef, they can really shine. Due to the long proofing time of the dough, preparation needs to be started a few hours in advance. The end result of a truly Italian-style pizza will definitely make up for it!

Ingredients for 5-7 smaller pizzas

For the pizza dough:

• 0.5 litres of water
• 800 g flour
• 25 g salt
• 1 g yeast
• 10 g sugar
• 25 ml olive oil

For the topping:

• 800 g soft, ripe tomatoes
• 8 grams of salt
• Fresh basil leaves
• Olive oil for drizzling
• 350 g mozzarella

Preparation:

To get the details right, best watch the video by Italia Squisita.

1. Put half the flour in a large bowl and mix in the yeast. Pour the water into another bowl and stir in the salt until it has dissolved completely. Then add the water to the flour and mix the four basic ingredients together. Always mix by hand from top to bottom. Then, gradually stir in the sugar and then the olive oil. Add the rest of the flour, but not necessarily all of it - add a little at a time until the dough starts to form a solid ball of dough but is still relatively moist.

2. Lightly flour a work surface or table. Take the dough out of the bowl, place it there and knead for 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can also use a kneading machine. The dough should turn out uniform, shiny and elastic when it’s done.

3. Cut the ball of dough into thick strips. Cut fist-sized pieces from the strips - these will later become the individual pizzas. Roll the pieces around a little to make them rounder. Cover all the dough balls with a damp kitchen towel and leave them to rise for 6-8 hours.

4. Mash the tomatoes into a coarse paste with your hands. There can and should be larger pieces of tomato. Season with salt. Tear the basil leaves into shreds (not too small) and add them to the tomato mix. Drizzle in the olive oil. This step is best done at the beginning of the proofing time so that the basil has time to infuse the mix.

5. Shortly before the end of the proofing time, cut the mozzarella into medium-sized strips. Preheat the oven on top heat or grill setting at the highest possible temperature.

6. When rolling out the pizzas, it’s important not to handle them too much. To make one pizza: Lightly flour your hands and a ball of dough. Put your flat hands next to each other and press them into the dough ball three times on each side to create a fairly thin shape with thick edges. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

7. Put some of the tomato mixture in the centre and spread it loosely outwards with a spoon. Do not go over the edge. Spread some mozzarella on top and drizzle with olive oil.

8. Cook the pizza until the edges are golden brown. Serve as quickly as possible. Buon appetito!

Contact and further contact persons

Have you had great experiences in Italy? Do you have tips for places and things that should not be missed? We would be happy to share your experiences either here, on Facebook or, if you want, in an online information event for other TUD students. Get in touch with us:

Do you want to get first-hand information?

Would you like to know more about Italy? Ask our regional ambassadors - TUD alumni who are active in many countries around the world and can give you information and advice for your stay.

Getting in touch is very easy: On this interactive world map, markers indicate the cities where our regional ambassadors live. There is a short profile with contact information for each one.

Partner Countries Archive

Have you missed a partner country? No worries! Here are all the pages of our previous months for you to read up on:

Argentina                                                                                                                              Australia                                                                                                                                   Austria Belgium                                                                                                                                      Brazil                                                                                                                                         Bulgaria                                                                                                                                        Chile                                                                                                                                            China                                                                                                                                         Colombia                                                                                                                                Croatia                                                                                                                                       Czech Republic                                                                                                                   Denmark                                                                                                                                    Estonia                                                                                                                                             Finland                                                                                                                                         Greece                                                                                                                                          Hungary India                                                                                                                                         Indonesia                                                                                                                                 Iceland                                                                                                                                         Israel                                                                                                                                              Italy
Japan
Kenya                                                                                                                                          Latvia
Mexico                                                                                                                                 Netherlands                                                                                                                           
Poland                                                                                                                                   Portugal                                                                                                                                 Romania                                                                                                                                  Sweden                                                                                                                                  Slovakia                                                                                                                                      Slovenia
South Africa                                                                                                                              South Korea
Taiwan
Thailand                                                                                                                                   
Ukraine                                                                                                                                 Vietnam