University of Warwick opens new space in Venice

The University of Warwick has relocated its base in Venice to a historic Palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal.

The new site, on the second floor of the 17th Century Palazzo Giustinian Lolin building, will be used for course modules and summer schools. 

The university has relocated from its previous space in the Italian city, where it opened in 1967 to offer a 'Venice term' to history and history of arts students studying the Renaissance.

The new site is intended to attract thousands of global students, researchers and partners. It is part of a £100m investment in arts and humanities over the last five years, the largest in the university's history.

The university has announced that it is investing a record amount in the arts, despite a cut in government funding. It has seen an 11% rise in applications to arts and humanities degrees this year, leaving many courses oversubscribed.

“We need to stop talking arts degrees down and start championing their growing value and importance,” Vice Chancellor Prof Stuart Croft told the BBC.

“The future isn't STEM rather than the arts – it's very clearly both,” he added. “However, we must keep evolving so we reflect the fast-changing needs of society and employers, by offering opportunities to learn from different disciplines to provide a fully rounded education.”