Dear Partners,

In line with Ministerial directives issued on April 14, 2020, regarding the planning of University activities for Phase 3 of Italy’s COVID-19 response (September 2020 to January 2021), Università Cattolica will have to manage classes in such a way to ensure the safety of students, thus requiring that social distancing measures be guaranteed on campus.

Considering these requirements, Università Cattolica will not be able to provide to its international students the University experience they would expect to get. Additionally, as long as social distancing measures and/or travel restrictions are in place in Italy and other countries, students may be prevented from traveling to Italy from their respective countries, while “normal” social activities and travel options that international students would usually expect to partake in during their stay in Italy may not be available.

Università Cattolica will offer the following options to its international students:

• FALL SEMESTER STUDENTS: register for and participate in online coursework. At this time the entire catalogue of Fall semester courses is regularly offered, although we may cancel those courses that are not in demand or have too few students enrolled to run the course. Also, should your students prefer to defer their placement, we would of course facilitate their change of placement to the Spring of 2021 or Fall 2021.
• FULL YEAR and DOUBLE DEGREE STUDENTS: register for and participate in online coursework during the Fall, which they will follow from their home country. They should expect to continue with their studies at the Cattolica campus in the Spring, that is should the circumstances allow for students to attend class normally as of February.

We understand that taking courses online may not be the type of experience your students were expecting, yet, for those who decide to pursue the semester online, we intend to create virtual events with the local community (university and city), to promote some social interaction online to as part of a virtual study abroad experience.

We will contact those students who have been nominated or who have already completed an application to inform them of the changes to the Fall 2020 programme and its delivery. We of course welcome any new nomination of students who wish to enroll for online coursework in the Fall.

We all hope that the circumstances will be such by February 2021 to be able to reopen our campus normally to welcome international students, and to provide them with the type of study abroad experience in Italy they expect.

Best regards,

Cattolica International