Venice, Italy Project Center - IQP

Called the most beautiful city in the world, Venice features a special atmosphere that exudes the splendor of its past. A city without cars, filled with outstanding historical, artistic, and architectural heritage, Venice owes much of its uniqueness to its symbiotic relationship with the sea and the lagoon. Yet, despite its millenary history, the historic city of Venice is trying to adapt to 21st century lifestyles, while preserving its environmental, artistic, and cultural heritage. The rising cost of living in Venice has led to a dramatic exodus of its population, which decreased since WWII from 200,000 to 50,000, while tourism has ballooned to 30 million visitors per year (pre-COVID). Venice is a microcosm that reflects and magnifies many of the issues confronting the rest of the world: from overtourism to sustainable development; from climate change to historic preservation; from urban agriculture to urban maintenance, management and planning. At the same time, Venice is a place that will allow you to experience a leisurely pace of living in a most serene and sublime environment.  Students have been completing IQPs in Venice since 1988.