Our Mission

Our Mission

SAI is dedicated to providing academic and cultural learning experiences abroad that enhance global awareness, professional development and social responsibility.  SAI concentrates its programs in Italy, with a focus on understanding Italy’s unique global role in the geopolitical economy, humanities, and the arts, while also seeking to expand our methods and services to other European locations well-suited to our educational objectives. SAI accomplishes its work in a sustainable and responsible manner, with consideration to the environmental impact on global and local communities.

SAI’s Vision: Inspiring Creativity

SAI has provided focused learning experiences in Italy since 1995 and in London since 2009.  SAI accomplishes its mission by providing high quality academics as well as a comprehensive and personalized approach to services from the first contact with each constituent. Through extensive pre-departure advising and superior on-site services and programming, SAI aims to enhance cultural understanding for every participant. Each program focuses on the historical, cultural, contemporary and natural factors that make its location unique while offering the structure, services and advising for students to create self-designed programs of study that meet their needs and objectives. Intentional in its size and focus, SAI fosters strong and mutually beneficial relationships with students, both affiliate and participating schools in the U.S., and SAI academic partner institutions abroad.  SAI ensures rewarding educational experiences through a combination of personalized services and high quality academics.

Goals & Objective

Student Learning and Development Goals

Knowledge & Skills

  1. Students will gain knowledge related to their academic discipline or professional aspirations, in general and specifically in the context of Italy and/or an international perspective.
  2. Students will gain skills related to their academic discipline or professional aspirations.
  3. Students will be able to recognize the importance of studying in the particular location of their program.

Personal Development & Global Awareness

  1. Students will develop an awareness of their personal identities and how they relate to their identity within the global society.
  2. Students will gain an appreciation for cultures different from their own.
  3. Students will seek to engage in meaningful interactions and relationships with individuals from their host culture and/or from a culture different from their own.
  4. Students will gain a sense of personal and global responsibility.
  5. Students will gain an ability to view values and cultural practices from a global perspective.
  6. Students will gain an understanding of the interconnectedness of economic, political, ecological and social global systems, in particular in relation to its program countries.
  7. Students will gain an understanding of the global significance of each program’s city and country, within the area of the humanities, economy, politics, art, culture and/or design.
  8. Students will gain an understanding of how art and design act as drivers for social change, development and global awareness.

Program Goals

In order to attain its mission and student learning and development goals, SAI will:

  1. Develop curricular and co-curricular programming elements that support the mission and goals.
  2. Develop and maintain opportunities for intentional cultural and/or linguistic immersion.
  3. Develop and maintain programs that demonstrate an appreciation for sustainability and responsibility to the local and global community.
  4. Develop and maintain organized and ethical policies and procedures that promote successful experiences abroad for the greatest number of students.
  5. Provide superior student services, as recognized by affiliates and students.
  6. Support affiliate and participating schools by assisting them in:

- promoting study abroad on their campuses;
- addressing academic needs of their students;
- responding to campus internationalization/globalization initiatives;
- engaging faculty in collaborative efforts to broaden the global culture on campus, with a focus on Italy.

Statement of Ethical Practices

Study Abroad Italy is committed to conducting its programs in an ethical manner in line with its mission. In accordance with best practices in the field of study abroad, SAI and its employees resolve to:

  • Act in the financial and educational best interest of the students with which we work;
  • Act with integrity while conducting affairs of the organization and in all situations where SAI is represented;
  • Neither accept nor offer gifts, services or other favors with more than a nominal value on occasions which might infer that such actions were intended to influence decision-making or otherwise prejudice the ability of a party to complete his/her duties in an objective manner;
  • Avoid any ethical, legal, or financial conflicts of interest that may compromise effectiveness in carrying out SAI’s mission;
  • Disclose or rectify any conflicts of interest, and recuse ourselves from situations where this is not possible;
  • Manage conflicts of interest via disclosure and/or disciplinary action as necessary;
  • Uphold transparency and truthfulness in all communications, publications and marketing materials;
  • Maintain regular and open communication with students as well as advisors, faculty and staff at the institutions with which we work;
  • Ensure, to the extent possible, that financial scholarships and discounted fees are passed on to the students in order to encourage the greatest number of students possible to study abroad;
  • Respect the policies and procedures on the university campuses with which SAI works;
  • Adhere to the law and respect the cultural practices in the countries where SAI operates.