Cross-Border Exchange in Venice
02/12/2025
Cross-border exchange: Pula Students Join Ca’ Foscari University
How can sustainable tourism in Venice be strengthened by leveraging local food and wine traditions? This was the central question of a cross-border exchange held from November 24 to 27, 2025, hosted at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice.
The exchange brought together students from the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula and Ca’ Foscari to develop innovative models for responsible tourism management linked to culinary traditions.
The Exchange combined academic research with immersive local experiences. Key highlights of the program included:
- Field Research at "Rialto Market": Students visited this iconic site to study local land and sea products and the dynamics of short supply chains.
- Cultural Exploration: The group visited the Jewish Ghetto to explore kosher cuisine and the cultural influences that have shaped Venice’s food identity.
- Practical Workshops: Activities included cooking laboratories and classroom sessions dedicated to applying innovative management models to enogastronomic heritage.
- Collaborative Projects: Students worked in teams to design projects focused on enhancing sustainable tourism through local culinary traditions.
The exchange concluded with student presentations and a shared reflection on how food and wine can act as a catalyst for sustainability and international cooperation. Francesca Checchinato, scientific coordinator of the project and professor at the Venice School of Management, emphasized that the event provided a "precious opportunity for young people from different backgrounds to dialogue on the potential of food culture for territorial development".
Following the success of this exchange and the "Saor 2025" festival held in October, the project will enter a new phase in January 2026, directly involving restaurateurs and tourism operators to implement these sustainable practices.