Partnerships: The Road to Success
by Tiago Noce
The sophomore year of LIU Global is marked by successful partnerships that provide more experience and better learning for students. In Spain, during the first-semester, Global students attend the Instituto Franklin (IF), a branch of the University of Alcala. At IF, they are challenged with classes fully in Spanish, coexistent with Spaniards and other international students, both in the educational settings and in the residency Lope de Vega, and extracurricular activities. In the second semester, in Italy, students attend the Florence School of Fine Arts (FSFA), where new challenges such as learning a completely new language, in-depth studies of economic perspectives, and understanding the importance of art. Regardless of the challenge, Global’s partnerships represent one more safe house for students. They are places where students can be heard, and debate their ideas, where they can defy their limits and go further getting to know even more of themselves.
The Instituto Franklin is an institution located in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. It is coordinated by Rosa Maria García, Priscilla Ramos, and Antonio Martín. The IF is responsible for promoting some of the classes available for Global’s students. For instance, the class of 2022 had the option to take a class about: the history of Spanish painters, international business and entrepreneurship, professionalism with a 50-hour internship fully in Spanish, Spain’s cultural perspective, and others. Beyond the classes, IF also programmed field trips to important cities, such as Toledo and Segovia, and important places in Madrid, such as the Prado Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum. Another important responsibility is to provide accommodations for students, highlighting here another key partnership, the Residency Lope de Vega, which makes available single and double rooms equipped with useful tools for students’ daily routine.
The Florence School of Fine Arts is located in Florence and is administered by Melania Lanzini and Charles DeVoe. They give classes involving sculpture, film, photography, and painting. Besides, they also provide classes of Italian language and Italian culture, propelling students to dive harder in the culture of the country. FSFA also programs field trip expeditions to students such as to Venice and Rome. Just like IF, FSFA is also responsible for accommodating students in Florence, for that purpose, the school rents different apartments throughout the city and places groups of students in them. It gives one more challenge for the students and hence their chance to develop their independence (see article Blog Entry VI — A Unique Semester for LIU Global’s Class of 2022).
In a nutshell, we all eventually need some help, in order to improve. The European partnerships make LIU Global’s sophomore year even more unique and memorable. Both IF and FSFA perform their responsibilities remarkably, being extremely attentive to students’ necessities and providing ideal support regardless of the situation. Building friendships based on respect, kindness, and efficiency among students, directors and staff members. By working together with the IF and FSFA, LIU Global gives an opportunity for students to learn and interact with locals, understanding better the location and its high and low points. But above all, these institutions and their teaching environment are our small community outside of our home countries, where we make new friends discuss perspectives freely, and where we can feel safe and accepted. In other words, where we can feel home, even if we are far away.
