QIRIS realizes the first online study abroad program supported by the US Department of State - Mission US-Italy

A new initiative from QIRIS provides incoming international students with opportunities to explore the life of a University in the US. The program is supported by the US Department of State, Mission US-Italy and will start in October 2021.

The idea behind College Experience is to expose incoming students to the American culture, values, and society, as well as having them experience what's like to be in a academic environment.

The initiative provides international students with opportunities to explore the life of a University in the US, attend multidisciplinary courses taught in English, discover the American culture and values, interact with their peers in a multicultural, diverse, and inclusive environment, and get inspired to pursue further opportunities for studying abroad.

The program leverages the experience of QIRIS, a non-profit organization that in the last 10 years has realized innovative programs in high schools all over Italy, helping hundreds of students learn new skills that are not usually taught in school, explore their talents, get inspired, and be better prepared for enrolling at a university or applying for a job.

All our initiatives have a significant innovation component. In the midst of the pandemic, we switched to online formats, and we converted all our programs into highly interactive and engaging e-learning experiences that enabled us and the schools we work with to involve more students and manage the activities in a more flexible way. With College Experience we aim at using technology to lower the cost of study-abroad programs and render them accessible to everyone.

Nicholas Caporusso, Founder and President ([email protected])

Simultaneously, College experience aims at providing incoming international students with orientation activities that help them understand higher education better, improve their language skills, get settled in the US, and connect with people and resources.

Supporting international students before they arrive to the US, in their first months of school, and throughout their journey in higher education, has a crucial role in their academic success and personal development.

Gianluca Lattanzi, Vice President ([email protected])

College Experience offers different packages that include fun and engaging content such as orientation activities, short courses, peer-to-peer interaction, guest lectures, interviews, tutorials, testimonials, and much more. All the material is accessible on our e-Learning platform where schools and specifically international offices can onboard their students, welcome them to an online community, and show them how much their University cares about diversity

I am extremely excited about this initiative, because it gives me a chance to give back: while completing my Ph.D. in Italy, I studied in the US thanks to a Fulbright fellowship. College Experience gives me the opportunity to raise awareness in younger generations and show them the opportunities they can access as citizens of the world, thanks to higher education.

Nicholas Caporusso, Founder and President ([email protected])

College Experience has been recognized by the Cultural Office of the United States Diplomatic Mission in Italy among the most innovative projects contributing to strengthening relations between the United States and the world.

We are honored for the support of the Department of State - Mission US-Italy. Also, the program has a broad network of International partners of excellence such as NorseMedia and the European American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Cincinnati, which immediately recognized the potential impact of College Experience.

Gianluca Lattanzi, Vice President([email protected])