A network to promote Italian culture in the UK
Cultural relations between Italy and the UK prosper thanks to widespread collaboration between public authorities, universities, research bodies, cultural institutions, associations, schools and companies in both Italy and the UK. The large, highly qualified Italian community in the UK strengthens the excellent cultural relations between the two countries.
The consulates general and the Italian cultural institutes in London and Edinburgh assist the embassy with its cultural cooperation initiatives.
The following websites are a useful starting point for learning more about Italian culture in the UK:
- The Italian cultural institutes in London and Edinburgh, which give information on the hundreds of events relating to Italian culture in the UK, including shows, exhibitions and language courses
- The Facebook pages of the cultural institutes in London and Edinburgh
- The website of ENIT, the national tourist board
Language as a gateway to Italian culture and lifestyle
Italian is the fifth most studied language in British universities and there is growing demand for it in the British business world. This can be attributed to a number of factors: the fact that the UK is home to a large Italian community that seeks to preserve and cultivate its roots, the widespread recognition of Italian as a language of culture, and the role of the language as a gateway to Italian lifestyle.
Useful information:
- Universities offering degrees in Italian: Reading, Manchester, Birmingham, Durham, Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews and Edinburgh. Also see the Society of Italian Studies (SIS).
- The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs posts lectors to universities around the world. In the UK ministerial lectors teach at the Universities of Bath (Silvia Boeri), Reading (Dr Maria Laura Iasci) and Edinburgh (Marco Palone)
- Scholarships for courses in Italian language and related subjects.
- Qualifications offices and management bodies: Qualifications offices operate from the embassy and consulates. They collaborate with local non-profit organisations that receive funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to run Italian language courses in schools.
- Qualifications office at the Consulate General