A young and dynamic academic institution for higher education located in Florence, Italy.
The unique academic structure allows international students to focus on the acquisition of competence and, ultimately, learning that progresses throughout their lives thanks to the academic and professional experience gained.
AUFs innovative model focuses on knowledge and competence in a cultural setting which provides not only academic quality, but also industry knowledge, leadership skills, cross-cultural engagement, and entrepreneurship.
Students are thus guided to build layers of culture and experience within an educational pathway that leads to an ongoing, lifelong process.
Enriching Students through Cultural Integration, Community Engagement, and Experiential Learning
| AUF was founded to: |
| Promote and renew creative disciplines in a city renowned for its history-changing innovations. |
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Offer challenging academic programs that shape inquisitive minds capable of:
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| Provide excellent professional and academic facilities at each campus, which not only offer learning spaces but also enhance and inspire learning potential. |
| Go beyond classroom learning by promoting student interaction with the convergence of the multicultural societies and creative presences in the city of Florence. This is accomplished through the presence of Community Engagement Member Institutions (CEMI) whose facilities and services are open to the public. |
| VISION: American-style, community-oriented education in Florence that transcends disciplines and cultural traditions. |
| AUF is a multidisciplinary institution that seeks to offer dynamic possibilities of study through a rich selection of academic institutions and departments. |
| AUF unites communities, nationalities, compelling projects, and studies capable of shaping the cultural landscape of Florence. |
| AUF encourages students to be challenged by both classroom and service learning for civic engagement, and to challenge the weight of Florence’s glorious heritage in order to contribute to its future with a fresh mind and open eyes. |
| AUF strives to provide its students with an experience that goes beyond the Renaissance façade of Florence by communicating to them that who we are and what they experience go beyond cultural stereotypes. |
| AUF believes that each student should go back home with a clear concept of Florence and Italy that includes a profound cultural understanding gained from integration. What they receive from the experience is a life changed and newfound understanding and perspectives that they will carry in their hearts for the rest of their lives. |
| VALUES |
| A rich, stimulating course offering taught by an international faculty, spanning all areas of the institutions grouped under AUF and their specific departments and courses. |
| An academic structure based on lectures, workshops, seminars, and laboratories that promote student learning and creation. |
| Quality, state of the art facilities located in historic palaces throughout the Florence city center. |
| Opportunities for student exposure and interaction with the local culture through civic engagement and service learning on both academic and extracurricular levels and cultural integration projects including the on-going involvement available through the CEMI. |
AUF’s state of the art facilities are designed with the purpose of offering academically challenging studies in an esthetically stimulating environment.
Six campus buildings are located in the historic city center of Florence, which is an official UNESCO World Heritage site.
Strategic planning is informed by the institution’s ongoing assessment practices for mission fulfillment and review for implementing improvement initiatives. Based on the data outcomes of individual assessment areas analyzed for institutional assessment, the strategic actions outlined below represent the institution’s objectives for 5-year planning cycles.
The American University of Florence is a private non-profit, free-standing, and non-denominational institution.
The American University of Florence has been granted candidate for accreditation status by the New England Commission of Higher Education.
Candidacy is not accreditation nor does it assure eventual accreditation. Candidacy is a formal affiliation with the New England Commission of Higher Education. It indicates that the institution has achieved initial recognition and is progressing toward accreditation.
Inquiries regarding an institution’s affiliation status with the Commission should be directed to:
The New England Commission of Higher Education 3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100 Burlington, MA 01803, U.S.A.
Direct line to Commission offices: (781) 425-7785 E-mail: info@neche.org
Website: www.neche.org
AUF’s state of the art facilities are designed with the purpose of offering academically challenging studies in an esthetically stimulating environment. Six campus buildings are located in the historic city center of Florence, which is an official UNESCO World Heritage site.
Current Campus locations include:
Palazzo Bombicci Pontelli Guicciardini Strozzi - Corso dei Tintori 21
Palazzo Villani Stiozzi Ridolfi - Via Ricasoli 21
Palazzo della Giostra - Borgo Pinti 20r
Ex-Teatro San Gallo - Via San Gallo 45r
Quartiere Sant’Ambrogio - Via dei Macci 85r and 53
Villa Brilli-Peri - Via Guelfa 85
The campus system is closely connected to the Florentine and Italian community, and represents a unique resource for cultural and local integration for all students. Within the AUF Educational Model, the Learning and Space approach represents AUF's vision for an extended learning environment that comprises and connects learning spaces within and outside of the campus network.
The institution has a system of governance that facilitates the accomplishment of its mission and purposes and supports institutional effectiveness and integrity. Through its organizational design and governance structure, the institution creates and sustains an environment that encourages teaching, learning, service, scholarship, and where appropriate research and creative activity. It assures provision of support adequate for the appropriate functioning of each organizational component.
AUF prioritizes student educational, professional growth, and life goals. Student success data is currently available up to the 2021-22 AY of enrollment.
Academic Success (2021-22 AY)
Retention rate of enrolled students: 96%
Graduation rate: 87%
Retention rates of current 2022-23 AY students:
2-Year Programs: 100%
4-Year Programs: 93.4%
1-Year MA: 100%
Student Satisfaction (2021-22 AY)
Course satisfaction: 89%
Student services satisfaction: 90% of students on a scale of 1-5 indicated a score of 4 or higher in regards to the services and activities.
Career Success
2022 data collection, next cycle scheduled for Summer 2023
Students have found what they learned at AUF to be applicable and that influence of their educational pathway facilitated their job search and overall career satisfaction.
68% of graduates employed in full-time position, 10.5% in graduate programs.
75% of employed graduates found jobs within 3 months of graduation.
77.7% of employed graduates satisfied with current position.
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AUF is committed to hiring a diverse community of individuals for its staff and faculty. Hiring practices do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, political affiliation, or source of income. Equal opportunity is considered and applied to all candidates who are profiled for their compatibility with the position and level of the job opening.
AUF contracts are subject to the parameters and regulations of the Italian "Contratto Collettivo Nazionale di Lavoro" (abbreviated CCNL), according to the subcategory of private, non-denominational institutions (ANINSEI).
ADVANCEMENT
AUF offers employment opportunities from a long-term perspective for growth and professional advancement. Staff and faculty development initiatives are implemented on a yearly basis. Role and paygrade status updates are carefully considered according to the statutes of the ANINSEI national contract.
Current facts and figures related to the university structure, programs of study, faculty, student body, and services at AUF.