School of International Studies - SIS

The School of International Studies (SIS) is a Centre established by the University of Trento to promote postgraduate research and education in the area of European and international studies. The departments of Economics and Management, Humanities, Sociology and Social Research, and the Faculty of Law participated in the creation of the school, which develops research and education programmes based on interdisciplinary approaches and skills to respond to the challenges of social, economic and institutional change resulting from globalization and European integration.

The School participates in several interdisciplinary research projects co-funded by external bodies. Three projects, co-funded by the Autonomous Province of Trento, focus on institutional change, economic growth and social development (with special attention for the European and Chinese areas). Two projects, funded by MIUR and the University, are centred on the relationship between globalization, climate change and the use of natural resources (water, in particular).

The School offers interdisciplinary education and specialization courses, entirely taught in English, to students who completed a three-year undergraduate degree, and is therefore the only “Graduate School” of International Studies in Italy. More precisely, the School organizes a Master's Degree in European and International Studies (Laura Magistrale in Studi Europei e Internazionali, MEIS), a Master's Degree in International Security Studies (Laura Magistrale in Studi sulla Sicurezza Internazionale - MISS) with Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, and a three-year Doctoral programme in International Studies.

The School collaborates with national and international research centres and think-tanks and with the University’s departments and faculties. National and international academics are regularly invited to visit the School to give lectures and meet students. The School hosts weekly seminars on subjects pertaining to European and international studies and security, welcomes professional practitioners employed in important international organizations, promotes research conferences and workshops, organizes meetings to develop cross-sector skills (soft skills), contributes to the set up of the Summer school and to other dissemination events with other local, national and international research entities. Students, faculty members, post-doc researchers and visiting professors from all over the world take part in the School’s teaching and research activities.

The School of International Studies is honoured to have two distinguished Honorary Professors: Senator Giorgio Napolitano (former President of the Italian Republic) and Vaclav Klaus (former President of the Czech Republic).