Is the Venice School of Management Worth It? Four Students Give Their Verdict

It seems almost impossible that you could study business in a city as historic (and iconic) as Venice – yet that is exactly what students Mustapha, Hana, Alessia, and Gaspare have done.

Despite these students’ diverse backgrounds – from as far as the Gambia and Bosnia and Herzegovina – they all chose the Venice School of Management (VSM) at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, one of the top 10 business schools in Italy.

We interviewed these four VSM students to find out what inspired them to choose the city of Venice and Ca’ Foscari for their management degree, and where the journey has taken them.

Why choose the Venice School of Management?

The decision of where to study is inherently personal – two students rarely arrive at the same university with the same reasons. The same holds for these four VSM students, who all have different academic and professional backgrounds.

However, what unites them is that they were all certain that Venice was the right place for their business and management degrees – even if it meant waiting for the right time to enrol.

“I applied to Venice School of Management for three consecutive years before securing my admission,” admits Mustapha Colley. Originally from The Gambia, Mustapha was drawn to the Master’s in Global Accounting and Finance at the VSM for its unique focus on sustainability.

Likewise, Alessia Milos from Sardinia was interested in exploring the intersection of business and sustainability and chose the Master’s in Tourism Management and Sustainability.

“Tourism is a key industry in Italy, and studying it through a sustainability lens felt both relevant and future-oriented,” she says.

Gaspare Asta is also enrolled in the Master’s in Tourism Management and Sustainability – “it perfectly bridges my previous cultural studies with practical management skills,” he explains. “Furthermore, Ca’ Foscari’s strong international reputation and the highly diverse cohort of students it attracts were major factors.”

Conversely, Hana Hadžić wasn’t sure where her academic journey would take her. “I was trying to decide between Law, Psychology and Business – I created several pros and cons lists and completed surveys designed to help identify which field might suit me best.”

After reviewing the detailed programme information for the VSM’s Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management, she realised it ticked all of her boxes. And after finishing her degree earlier this year, she’s now enrolled in the Master’s in Innovation and Management for Culture and Creativity at the VSM.

In the VSM classroom: theory meets the real world

Across all of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees available at Venice School of Management, one thing is consistent – a commitment to practical skills.

“Many courses encourage discussion, group work, and real-world case studies, which makes the learning process more engaging and practical,” explains Alessia.

Additionally, students can participate in project work and hear from industry experts on campus, bringing theoretical learning directly into the practical world of business.

This hands-on approach also extends to how students are tested on their learning. For example, one of Mustapha’s modules, Accountability, Governance, and Regulation, ended with a group project, rather than a traditional written exam.

“I joined a group of twelve students in a three-phase project that involved research presentations, active forum discussions, and a final five-minute elevator pitch of a 2,500-word essay,” he explains.

“This experience was truly transformative for me. It provided me with the rigorous training in public speaking and critical thinking required to excel in a competitive global labour market. The skills I gained in that classroom are tools I will carry with me throughout my entire career.”

What are the benefits of studying management in Venice?

Although it may have been Ca’ Foscari’s and the VSM’s academic reputation that inspired Mustapha, Hana, Alessia, and Gaspare to move to Venice, they all found the city to be as enriching as their degrees.

“As a student, I have benefited from free access to museums like the Gallerie dell’ Accademia – a place I will recommend all international students in Venice and Italy at large to visit,” Mustapha says. “Also, the Venice Biennale Film Festival is a major international event I always love attending.”

Though Gaspare grew up in Italy, this hasn’t made studying in Venice any less special. “Navigating the canals and historic calli [pedestrian streets] to get to class builds a certain kind of daily resilience and mindfulness.”

“Living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world is very difficult to put into words,” adds Hana. “It is easy to romanticise even the simplest moments, whether you are studying in one of the many beautiful libraries or trying to decide which café has become your favourite.”

For students on the Master’s in Tourism Management and Sustainability, including Gaspare and Alessia, studying in Venice offers a unique opportunity to experience life in a city where the impact of climate change is ever-visible.

“The city itself is like an open-air museum, but it is also a living example of the challenges and opportunities related to tourism and sustainability,” says Alessia.

Where next? The journey after having studied at the Venice School of Management

Where can a degree from the Venice School of Management take you? For these students, there’s no one answer to this question. Instead, the versatile, hands-on skills they’ve developed at the VSM have prepared them for a wide variety of careers.

“The rigorous curriculum has provided me with a highly robust analytical toolkit,” notes Gaspare. “I am incredibly inspired by the research and teaching environment here, and I would love to build a career in academia, ideally staying right here at Ca’ Foscari.”

Meanwhile, Alessia is committed to pursuing a career in sustainability management. “I would like to contribute to creating more sustainable models within the tourism sector, focusing on long-term value rather than short-term gains,” she explains.

For Hana and Mustapha, who aim to pursue more traditional business careers in management consulting and accounting, respectively, their time at the Venice School of Management has provided them with the right foundation to start their careers in these popular graduate fields.

“I believe that Ca’ Foscari has provided me with a strong theoretical foundation, enabling me to successfully transition this knowledge into practical work,” explains Hana.

“I recognise and accept that the professional world is dynamic and often differs from the classroom,” notes Mustapha. “However, the foundation I have built in the Venice School of Management is solid.”

Would they recommend studying at the Venice School of Management? Multilingual Hana says it best – not once, but four times: “Yes, sì, da, evet.”