Category: International

Continuous learning and engagement with international environments are key drivers of professional and academic growth. This is the context in which Francesca Pulvirenti, lecturer in AANT’s Bachelor’s Degree programmes in Art Direction, Advertising and Graphic Design and Videomaking, Storytelling, Cinema and Media Design, took part in a mobility period through the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for Training programme promoted by AANT.

From 12 to 18 July, the lecturer attended an intensive General English course at the Atlantic Centre of Education in Galway, Ireland. The programme included group classes, one-to-one sessions and dedicated workshops, providing an immersive learning experience focused on strengthening language skills and exchanging teaching methodologies with an international community of students and professionals.

The experience took place in a city renowned for its vibrant cultural scene. During her stay, Galway hosted both the Galway International Arts Festival, one of Europe’s most prestigious arts festivals, and the Galway Film Fleadh, one of Ireland’s leading film events. This unique setting offered further opportunities to engage with contemporary creative practices, audiovisual communication and the performing arts.

The programme also included cultural activities organised by the school, such as a visit to the picturesque Aran Islands and a boat trip along Ireland’s west coast with views of the iconic Cliffs of Moher, allowing participants to deepen their understanding of the local area and Irish culture.

From 15 to 19 June, L’École de design Nantes Atlantique welcomed students from France, Italy, Spain and Belgium for the Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “Design Fiction: Imagining Future Uses and Technologies”. This international experience combined online preparatory activities with an intensive week of on-site workshops, fostering collaboration across cultures, design methodologies and multidisciplinary expertise.

Representing AANT – Accademia delle Arti e Nuove Tecnologie were students Emily Avagnina, Enrico Pezzali, Valeria Rapisarda, Francesco Cimmino, Giulia Zamboni, Giuseppe Maria Falso, Alice Tiozzo Netti, Giada Mattei, Clara Balducelli and Erika Mignini, accompanied by faculty member Ernesto Venanzi.

Organised by L’École de design Nantes Atlantique in partnership with AANT – Accademia delle Arti e Nuove Tecnologie, ELISAVA – Escola Superior de Disseny i Enginyeria de Barcelona, and Haute École Albert Jacquard, the programme brought together students from different design disciplines to work in international teams, exploring future scenarios through the methodologies of Design Fiction and Speculative Design.

At the heart of the programme was a critical exploration of the role of emerging technologies and Artificial Intelligence in shaping society. Through storytelling, narrative prototyping and experimentation with AI-powered tools, participants developed speculative design scenarios investigating the relationship between technological innovation, wellbeing, culture and evolving social behaviours. The programme also placed strong emphasis on the ethical dimensions of innovation, encouraging responsible, inclusive and culturally aware design practices.

One of the most valuable aspects of the BIP was the opportunity to work in multicultural teams, enabling students to engage with diverse design approaches while developing essential transversal skills increasingly sought after in the creative industries, including critical thinking, international collaboration, interdisciplinary design and the ability to create narratives that envision possible futures.

From 15 to 19 June 2026, AANT took part in the 4th International Week “Internationalization at Home – Everyone can Make a Difference” in Valencia, hosted by Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera as part of the BIP IWeek programme.

AANT was represented by Federica Stortiero, Head of the Education Office, and Gaspare Talarico, IT Manager, during a week of training, exchange and international dialogue focused on the role of internationalization in contemporary higher education.

The programme brought together professionals from different countries and institutions, creating a space for exchange among academic, administrative and technical staff. The activities focused on the concept of internationalization at home, the development of more open and inclusive university environments, the sharing of good practices and the implementation of concrete tools to strengthen the international dimension within higher education institutions.

Throughout the week, participants attended training sessions, workshops and networking activities dedicated to topics such as inter-university cooperation, the COIL for Staff model, intercultural communication, participatory culture and the transversal skills needed to work in international contexts.

AANT’s participation, through two profiles connected to complementary areas such as academic services, quality, information systems and digital support, offered a cross-functional perspective on internationalization. It was an opportunity to gather new insights, share experiences and build relationships with professionals and institutions across Europe and beyond.

Internationalisation is built through dialogue, the exchange of expertise and the development of new academic networks. With this spirit, AANT took part in the Erasmus International Staff Week, organised by VERN’ University in Zagreb. Held from 15 to 19 June, the international event brought together lecturers, researchers and professionals from numerous European higher education institutions to discuss the challenges of higher education, innovation and international cooperation.

Representing the Rome-based Academy were lecturers Alessandro Alfieri and Massimo Valente, who participated in a programme focused on the exchange of best practices, the exploration of innovative teaching approaches and the development of future collaborations within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme.

Among the highlights of the event, Massimo Valente delivered the lecture “Space as a Silent Teacher: Interior Design, Perception and Learning Experience”, reflecting on the role of space as an active component of the educational process. Through an analysis of learning environment design, perception and students’ experiences, the lecture demonstrated how architecture and spatial design can become powerful tools for fostering engagement, creativity and high-quality teaching.

The International Staff Week at VERN’ University was designed to encourage dialogue among European higher education institutions by promoting the exchange of innovative methodologies, the integration of new technologies into education and the development of long-lasting international partnerships. Under the theme “Connect, Collaborate, Create”, the programme combined workshops, seminars and networking opportunities, contributing to the growth of an increasingly open, collaborative and internationally connected academic community.

From 11 to 15 May, Professor Cristian Sammarco, lecturer at AANT, was a guest of IPCA – Instituto Politécnico do Cávado e do Ave in Barcelos, Portugal, as part of an academic exchange experience dedicated to the dissemination of design culture and international dialogue on design-related topics.

The professor carried out teaching activities for students at the Portuguese institution through two seminar lectures and several project review and discussion sessions focused on work developed within the courses. 

The programme explored some of the most significant themes in the history of Italian design. On 12 May, he delivered the seminar “Vico Magistretti. An Italian Architect”, dedicated to the renowned Milanese architect and designer and his contribution to the development of contemporary design. On 15 May, he presented the lecture “Radical Architecture and Design in Italy”, which examined the experiences of Italian Radical Architecture and Radical Design during the 1960s and 1970s, highlighting their cultural legacy and their influence on the international design discourse.

The initiative represented an important opportunity for exchange between students and faculty members from both institutions, strengthening dialogue between different educational contexts and fostering a shared reflection on the history, theory, and practice of design.

From April 27 to 29, AANT took part in the International Days hosted by the Artevelde University of Applied Sciences in Ghent, Belgium, as part of the Erasmus activities dedicated to international exchange among students, lecturers and European academic institutions.

Representing the Rome-based Academy was Valerio Di Paola, lecturer and coordinator of the Diploma course in Videomaking, Story, Cinema and Media Design, invited by the Department of Communication, Media and Design of the Belgian university to deliver the lecture and workshop “Populism on Screen: Cinema, TV and AI-driven Communication”.

The event offered a reflection on the relationship between audiovisual languages, political communication and generative artificial intelligence, exploring how cinema, television series and advertising contribute today to the construction of collective imagination and dynamics of consensus. Through examples drawn from contemporary visual culture, the workshop examined the growing role of entertainment within political narratives and the impact of AI on communication processes in the post-truth era, characterized by narrative fragmentation, hyperconnectivity and new forms of representation of identity and conflict.

The Erasmus experience in Ghent also provided an opportunity for international discussion around GeniaLAB, AANT’s research hub dedicated to the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital culture and design practices. The dialogue with students and lecturers from different European contexts opened new perspectives for research and collaboration on the ongoing transformations in visual communication, audiovisual culture and contemporary design.