The cooperation agreement is an expression of the shared desire of the two universities to expand their cooperation relations across multiple dimensions. This is based on numerous common features: The universities are geographically close, have been shaped by the same historical roots over a long period of time, and both are located within a short distance of geopolitical borders. This is further coupled with a profound sensitivity to cultural diversity and cross-cultural dynamics and experiences. Rector Oliver Vitouch and Rector Michele Bugliesi signed the agreement at the end of April 2020.

Numerous initiatives have already become reality in recent months, for example for doctoral students: The double degree PhD programme “Italian Studies” was established in 2019. The programme, headed by Angela Fabris, allows doctoral students to study at the partner university for a period of 12 to 18 months, and a double academic degree is conferred upon completion. The universities also cooperate closely in the doctoral programme “Modeling, Simulation, Optimization in Business and Economics (MSOBE)“, which is anchored at the University of Klagenfurt and which includes workshops for doctoral students run jointly with the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.

Additionally, there are numerous joint research initiatives: Together with colleagues from the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, the research group at the Department of Management Control and Strategic Management headed by Friederike Wall has been organizing the so-called “Venice-Klagenfurt Workshops on Agent-based Modelling” on a roughly annual basis since 2011. These workshops regularly attract participants from other research groups as well. Since 2022, the research team now aims to contribute to the further development of agent-based computational economics (ACE) with a new project. Several other scientific conferences have been organised jointly by other departments at the university. Moreover, the scientific series “Alpe Adria e dintorni, itinerari mediterranei“, published open access by de Gruyter, has also been called into life. The great number of joint scientific cooperation networks is further reflected in joint funding applications in the context of highly competitive third-party funding programmes.