By the end of the course, you will be able to
\nClass meetings
\nJan 12, 19, 26
\nFeb 2, 9, 23
\nMar 9, 16
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This course examines the speaking scenarios that occur in academic environments. We will explore a range of situations including informal academic encounters, seminars, conferences, panels, supervisory meetings, and team discussions. Through practical activities and analysis, you will learn how to communicate effectively in these settings and adapt your language and delivery to suit different audiences and purposes. The course provides tools to facilitate clear, confident and professional communication to enable you to contribute meaningfully to academic contexts.
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From August 2016 Villa Schifanoia is home to the Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies.
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The original central structure of the villa dates from that period: built on two floors, with a large portico on the ground floor facing South and opening onto a large terrace. Two staircases connect the terrace to the beautiful gardens.
From the mid-15th century the villa was owned by the Cresci family, who made their fortune as merchants and dyers, before passing through Italian hands – bought, inherited or gifted as a dowry – for the following centuries.
Until the eighteenth century the external structure remained unchanged except for the garden which was progressively transformed into a ‘giardino all’italiana’ based on symmetry, axial geometry and order.
When the Ciacchi family, a noble family linked to the papal Curia, took over the property of the villa in the second half of the eighteenth century, they clearly wanted to leave a mark: in 1847 they built a small chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas and indeed several architectural elements of both the chapel and the villa are emblazoned with their family emblem.
The 20th century was marked by foreign ownership, including Australian, British and American. The character and atmosphere of Villa Schifanoia changed: from being the Summer residence on the hills of Florence for aristocratic local families to entering the cosmopolitan circle of the city’s Anglophone community, and becoming the main - although often only temporary - residence of its owners, a place where prosperity, culture and glamour would meet.
In 1927, the Villa was bought by the wealthy American businessman Myron C. Taylor and his wife. Taylor was also an antique collector and passionate historian; he made the Villa’s gardens bigger and made sure it was well kept.
In 1939 Taylor was nominated the personal representative of the US President to Pope Pio XII; Villa Schifanoia then became a place where personalities from the political and financial worlds would meet and where the American diplomat would hold.
In 1941, Taylor donated the villa to the Catholic Church, who installed the Little Company of Mary as directors of a Rosary College, an artistic and cultural educational institute for young American girls. The school closed in the 1980s and In 1986 the Italian government bought the Villa to make it one of the European University Institute (EUI) seats. From August 2016 Villa Schifanoia is home to the Robert Schuman Center for Advanced Studies.
To get to Villa Schifanoia from the bus stop in San Domenico, cross the road and take a sharp left into Via Boccaccio.
Villa Schifanoia is about 150 metres down the road on the right hand side after the traffic lights. The Cappella is the small building next to the Villa.
As of 4 February 2019, following the implementation of a pilot project on Access Control at the EUI, the Villa Schifanoia Campus is accessible only with an EUI ID card or by ringing the entry phone and providing personal details to control room operators (upon prior registration).
Further information on the project is available here.
", "servicesAndFacilities1": [ { "image": null, "subtitle": null, "description": "The Via Boccaccio stretch between San Domenico and Villa Schifanoia has been closed to both vehicles and pedestrians from 27 January until 2 Feb 2020 due to urgent maintenance works: Villa Schifanoia is therefore accessible by car from Le Cure ONLY, while pedestrians (EUI members) can use the internal path from Villa Sanfelice and then the connecting road Badia-Schifanoia.
External guests (pedestrians) are kindly invited to access Villa Schifanoia either through the connecting walkway from the Badia Fiesolana or walking up Via Boccaccio from the terminus of the 1B bus line.
", "title": "Please Note:" }, { "image": null, "subtitle": null, "description": "The Real Estate & Facilities Service provides assistance and logistic support for conferences, meetings, workshops, seminars etc. organized at the EUI (Rooms overview).
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Public PCs & Internet Points
The canteens and coffee bars at the Badia Fiesolana, Villa Schifanoia, Villa La Fonte and Villa Salviati provide lunch, snacks and coffee and are open Monday to Friday except for EUI holidays.
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The EUI has several free parking areas available all over the Campus, and their maintenance and administration falls within the remit of the Real Estate and Facilities Service.
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Below, please find the floor maps for Villa Schifanoia, with currently accessible areas highlighted, as well as the plan for accessible toilets.
", "accessibilityStatus": "Partially accessible", "phoneNumber": "[+39] 055 4685 550", "name": "Villa Schifanoia", "location": { "lon": 11.2815, "lat": 43.79833 }, "showInEUICampusMap": true, "wikipedia": "https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_Schifanoia", "entryTitle": "Villa Schifanoia", "email": "porterVS@eui.euo" }, "teachersBiography": null, "entryTitle": "Speaking Clearly in the Academy" }![Villa Schifanoia Campus Map](\"https://www.eui.eu/Images/ServicesAdmin/Logistics/WEB/RSCAS-Campus-map2018.jpg\"){kind=link}