PROMOTION OF THE ITALIAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ABROAD
Grants to Foreign Universities for the Establishment and Operation of Italian Language Chairs/Professorships/Lectureships (under Chapter 2619/2 – 2026)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, through Office VII of the Directorate General for Growth and Export Promotion, provides grants for the establishment and operation of Italian language chairs/professorships/lectureships at foreign universities.
These grants are awarded to support the creation and functioning of Italian language chairs at foreign universities and are intended to partially cover the salaries of instructors hired under local regulation employment contracts.
The term cattedra, i.e. chairs/professorships/lectureships, refers to university-level positions and/or courses in which the Italian language is included among the languages taught, according to the academic regulations of the relevant institution, even if the position or course has a different denomination.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING A GRANT APPLICATION
Applications for grants under Chapter 2619/2 – 2026 must include the following documentation, to be submitted as separate files:
- LETTER FROM THE UNIVERSITY (maximum one page):The letter must clearly and concisely state the reasons for the request. It must be written on official university letterhead, signed by the Academic Director (or responsible academic authority), and stamped with the university’s official seal.
- FORM A: The application for financial support for Italian language chairs and/or university-level Italian language courses must be completed using the attached template. The form must be filled out in its entirety.
- FORM B: Universities that received grants in 2025 or during the previous five-year period (2020–2024) must, upon completion of the organized courses, submit a final report on the use of the most recent grant received, using the attached FORM B. This form must also be filled out in its entirety. For universities located in countries whose currency differs from the euro, it is important to indicate the expenditures and the actual amount received in local currency as well as the amount formally granted in euros. All expense items must be calculated using the exchange rate applied at the time the grant was converted from euros into local currency for transfer to the university.
Each file must not exceed the maximum size of 4MB.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILLING OUT THE FORMS
Please note that grants awarded for 2026 must be used by the end of the Academic Year 2026–2027.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION
Applications for the grant must be completed and submitted to the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco no later than March 15th, 2026.
Applications must be sent by email to: dir.iicsanfrancisco@esteri.it.
For further information, please contact the Italian Cultural Institute San Francisco at: contact.sanfrancisco@esteri.it.