This summer course offers students a dynamic blend of lectures, labs, and experiential learning through visits to local NGOs and community organizations. Students will creatively document their experiences through photography, drawing, video making, and creative writing. Guided tours of historical sites, guest lectures from artists and professionals, and curated readings on ethnographic, historical, and political perspectives will provide critical frameworks for understanding the artistic process. The course culminates in the creation of a personal monument reflecting each student's lived experience in Sicily. Key units include the Historical and Geographical Vision of Sicily, Geopolitics of Sicily, and Rethinking Sicily through Art, complemented by immersive, community-based activities in Syracuse.

The Southern Mediterranean Basin has been a cradle of world civilizations since the first settlements in Jericho around 9000 BC, serving as a crossroads where religions, economies, and political systems have met, clashed, influenced, and absorbed one another. At the heart of this region, Sicily has stood as a pivotal gateway between Europe, Africa, and the East for over 2,000 years. Positioned at the frontier between Western civilization and the broader world, Sicily has been shaped by the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, and Habsburg Spain—yet it remains uniquely distinct. This course offers an interdisciplinary introduction to Sicily’s history and people through the lens of modern Migration Studies, examining themes from geographic, historical, philosophical, and political perspectives. Beginning with fundamental questions like “What is a map?” and “What is a territory?” students will explore topics such as the Mediterranean Basin as a cradle of civilization, the concept of islands in philosophy, migration and navigation, theories of the "New Barbarians" (T. Negri), "Stateless Persons" (G. Agamben), the contested Mediterranean, and the “Philosophy of the Sea.”

This course includes the development of basic conversational, reading, listening, and writing skills. Focus will be given to the development of a vocabulary that will enable students to have simple but useful everyday conversations, which will be a support to their Italian experience. The course will give students the basic elements useful for everyday conversations, such as at the cafe, the train station, the post office, the restaurant, etc.

This course aims to further develop students' foundational linguistic skills, with a focus on enhancing their ability to communicate effectively in more complex situations and extended language exchanges. It includes a thorough review and expansion of basic grammar structures, alongside the introduction of more advanced vocabulary.

This level is designed for students with an active understanding of elementary language structures, such as expressing past actions, describing events, and discussing future plans. Participants will be able to communicate in simple, routine tasks that require exchanging information on familiar topics and will understand clear, standard speech commonly encountered in work, school, and leisure contexts.

This course focuses on mastering more complex language structures to enable students to express personal opinions and preferences. It prepares students to engage in spontaneous conversations on familiar topics, personal interests, everyday life, and current events, as well as to narrate simple stories.

The course will include a comprehensive review of Italian grammar covered so far, with an in-depth focus on fundamental grammatical concepts. Emphasis will be placed on improving conversational skills and expanding vocabulary to enable students to express themselves effectively in everyday situations, including topics like family, friends, hobbies, interests, work, travel, and current events.

In this course, students will refine their mastery of tenses and moods with proper agreement while delving deeper into specific grammatical structures. Particular focus will be placed on improving the use of prepositions. Writing and listening exercises will utilize authentic materials, with special attention given to enhancing written expression.

Students have the option to extend their stay and elevate their experience by participating in one or two MADE Labs. These high-intensity workshops, led by world-renowned creative professionals, are designed for designers, architects, and artists eager to explore cutting-edge developments in their fields. Each MADE Lab focuses on a global theme, such as sustainability or migration, and offers a chance to “level up” skills while earning 6 ECTS credits per session. The Labs include immersive daytime workshops, evening lectures by thought leaders, visits to local towns, and participant presentations, all hosted in the historic XIX-century Academy building and venues in Ortigia, Siracusa. Past themes have included "Borderless Visions on Design, Architecture, and Visual Arts" and "The Authenti-City."

In this course, students will first review the basics of anthropology and study anthropological methods in the context of the Mediterranean. Building upon that, students will then explore the relationship between anthropology and art, film, and tradition. Students will have the opportunity to engage in Art Lab, led by Gabriella Ciancimino, focusing on art as a catalyst for social change and community engagement.

This course serves as an introduction to the Italian language, history, and culture in order to prepare summer program students for everyday interactions in Syracuse. Given the intensive nature of the summer program (five weeks), students will learn essential words and phrases needed to communicate in practical situations, such as grocery shopping, dining out, traveling, and more. Instruction will include a mixture of lectures and immersive visits to local sites, such as the historic Ortigia street market. Coursework will cover key aspects of Italian customs, providing historical background for current cultural norms and etiquette. By developing an understanding of the unique historical and cultural context of Sicily as well as key Italian words and phrases, students are empowered to interact with the local community in a respectful and meaningful way.

Mount Etna, Europe’s largest and most active volcano, serves as one of nature’s most fascinating laboratories, offering valuable insights into magma dynamics, supply, accumulation, ascent, and eruption processes. The course explores Mount Etna’s evolution within its regional geodynamic framework, beginning with the pre-Etnean volcanism of the Hyblean Plateau. Students will study volcanic environments, processes, and their products, the environmental impacts and hazards of volcanism, and the benefits volcanoes provide. The course also introduces advanced techniques for monitoring volcanic and tectonic activity, including predicting magma movement, assessing volcanic instability, and simulating lava flow paths. Through field visits to Mount Etna and Italy’s National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), students will engage in data collection, hypothesis testing, and modern scientific technologies, deepening their understanding of earth sciences. This course includes a one-credit lab component.