Syracuse Campus

We foster the achievement of sdgs through international education

CAMPUS

Mission

The City Campus

With two state-of-the-art Study Centers and longstanding partnerships with local research and higher education institutions, Syracuse Academy serves as a gateway for international students and scholars to unlock the wide array of academic resources and opportunities available in Sicily and in the Central Mediterranean region.

The Neapolis Study Center

The Neapolis Study Center is located in the center of the archaeological district of the city of Syracuse (Sicily), adjacent to St. John’s Church, which gives access to its Catacombs network: considered one of the first places of Christian worship in the West. The historic villa is also adjoining the Archaeological Museum and the Basilica of Our Lady of Tears, while the Greek Theater and the island of Ortygia are at a short walking distance.

The historic villa boasts two acres of lush botanical garden filled with citrus trees, Mediterranean flora, century-old palms, as well as many other exotic plants.

A peaceful oasis in the heart of the ancient city of Syracuse, where students find themselves surrounded by archaeological sites, marvellous architecture and nature.

The Ortigia Study Center

Located on the island of Ortigia, in the 14th-century Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco, set in the most charming square in the city, Piazza Duomo. The late-baroque style palazzo faces the Municipio (Town Hall) and the Duomo (Cathedral), both of which were erected on the ruins of two Greek temples, respectively the temple of Artemis and of Athena. The Piazza Duomo square sits, in fact, on the site of the ancient Greek city’s acropolis (fortified citadel), bearing witness to which is the majestic doric colonnade on the northern side of the cathedral.

Enclosing a charming courtyard paved in ornate cobblestones, the Palazzo is a perfect example of late baroque architecture.

The building is of great historical importance: seat of the local government during the Spanish domination, in 1798 it hosted the English admiral Horatio Nelson during the Napoleonic Wars (before the battle of Abukir), and in 1806, Ferdinand I, King of the Two Sicilies.

Indoor facilities in both campuses offer lecture rooms of all sizes with modern teaching facilities, computer labs, lounge areas, lab rooms for creative arts workshops and culinary classes, media center with printing facilities, library service and study rooms.

A strategic starting point to explore the island of Sicily and the Mediterranean, while immersing in its cultures.

Our Mission & Values

Our mission is to inspire each student to learn by nurturing intercultural understanding and critical thinking immersed in the Mediterranean context, aiming to support a network of global citizens who will contribute to holistic sustainable development and peace.

By fostering these connections, we believe in the transformative power of international education to create a ripple effect, encouraging a broader understanding and appreciation of global citizenship that transcends borders, and empowers individuals to enact positive change in communities around the world.

We are a mission and values driven institution committed to cultural exchange, community building, holistic sustainable development and to the proposition that no person or place can be left behind in pressing forward with societal advance.

As a Sicilian-based organization, we are dedicated to supporting the health and vibrancy of the island and its inhabitants, institutions and natural ecosystems, including land and marine biodiversity and resilience in the face of climate change, while addressing issues of regional and global importance.

We adhere to the proposition that international educational institutions should provide innovative, collaborative and interculturally-based learning experiences while simultaneously seeking to deliver significant benefits to the local and global community through proactive engagement. Meaningful intercultural student learning and development best occurs within the contours of purposeful, subject-focused and experiential education that concomitantly serves to support community sustainability, well-being, equity, prosperity and opportunity.

Our Study Tracks

ENVIRONMENT AND

BIODIVERSITY

Focus on the ecological challenges to marine and terrestrial environments and on the virtuous conservation models and strategies being implemented in the Mediterranean area.

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CULTURAL HERITAGE AND IDENTITY

Retrace the connections between the many cultures which made Sicily what it is today. Each civilization has left its mark: strata of holiness in the landscapes, linguistic, culinary, artistic and architectural traces.

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SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS

Investigate the challenges and innovations of the food sector in Italy and the Mediterranean area. We focus on global-to-local opportunities through the framework of the SDGs achievement.

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A Letter from the Director

We are committed to providing educationally rewarding educational programs within an inspiring and safe international learning environment. We do so by actively engaging the local community and offering a diversified curriculum that draws on the richness of cultural resources in Italy and in particular in the region, Sicily.

We build bridges by creating novel opportunities for partnerships and cooperation between local academic institutions and organizations and global higher education institutions. We maintain the highest standard and academic rigor among our faculty, working alongside distinguished full-time and visiting professors, recognized for their socially- and environmentally-engaged research and dedication to sharing their passion for the subject with students.

Each program is designed through an interactive and innovative teaching and learning approach. We believe in learning by doing, thus we provide our students with the type of practical, in-field learning experience, which allows them to develop both soft and hard skills and to thrive and succeed in the ever-changing working environments of the future.

Sean Neri

Sean Neri

Center Director | Forum on Education Abroad Certified Professional