Details

• Italy
• MAMark-21
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months

1. Preparation

I have made no specific preparations for the semester abroad. The application process at WU was very easy / standardized -- don't panic is the confirmation from the host uni arrives a little bit later than initially promised :) I have looked at the city map & researched the good areas to stay at ( recommended to thin about this in advance before starting to look for a place to live).

2. Accommodation

I would highly recommend to search for accommodation as soon as possible. The areas around the main universities are very popular & not very cheap ( especially for short-term stays of exchange students). It was nearly impossible to get a place at the university dorm, so I would not count on that. There are several platforms that show rooms / apartments like "HousingAnywhere" or "Spotahome" -- However, on those platforms tenants often have to pay additional "processing fees" that can be quite high, that protect you from scams though. Most local students and many brave exchange students found their apartments / rooms via Facebook - important, you have to be careful of scammers here :) Also a big tip: try to make sure that uni / most important spots are in walking / close distance to your home if you can, as the public transportation system in Rome is highly unreliable. If you have to take public transport -- try to live close to a metro station , the busses truly have a life of their own and arrive whenever they see fit. The shuttle busses from the Luiss university itself are very reliable and comfortable though! And make sure to take some warm clothes / blankets with you -- the heating system in autumn / winter in Rome is centralized = many places won´t let you turn on the heating whenever you want, so just be prepared :) Otherwise , many residences are very nice (even those in the slightly sketchy areas) and there are also a lot of shared flats to choose from.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is very beautiful and looks like a Villa. The Uni also has a very nice garden with a lot of benches & tables to sit, relax and study outside. Inside the university , the hallways, the cafeteria and the classrooms are very clean & nice, but the tables are a bit unpractical and there are very few dedicated places for students to study / work together inside. There are a few learning rooms with very limited places and the university library is also very tiny compared to the library at WU -- if you want to study there, make sure to arrive early:) There are some cute cafes tho in the city where one can meet up for group projects or to study. The professors are all very nice, motivated and have great expertise in their field of research. Many of the professors are also successful practitioners & can therefore offer some great & valuable insights from the "real world". Be aware, that LOUISS has a very strict attendance system ( tracking via an app & gps location) and you probably will have to attend mostly every class ( consider this when designing your timetable). Overall, the courses have a great curriculum and the effort requirements for passing / having a good grade are moderate ( depend on the specific course). The teaching style is generally more : professor talks and students listen instead of the interactive teaching style at WU. Would recommend : "Integrated Marketing communication", "Luxury Management", "AI for Product & Brand Management".

5. Every day life in the host country

The public transport is truly terrible, especially the busses ( I cannot stress this enough) -- there is often traffic , we had a strike nearly every Friday (also included trains and flights every now & then), however, the public transport is fairly affordable & the metro is reliable in comparison (although there are only 3 lines). I lived close to a slightly sketchy area (train station termini not too far away) in the center and nonetheless I still felt safe at most times:) the "worst" thing that I encountered were some drunk people / many homeless people but they are not a source of danger:) A lot of other areas (especially closer to Luiss) are very nice , clean and safe. Generally, the city itself is of course beautiful, there are tons of restaurants, bars, enotecas (small wine bars) and clubs to enjoy in the evenings. The university itself ( ERA / ESN) also organized A LOT of events for the exchange students -- from sports activities, to cooking classes, to trips together & parties in different locations - there were many events to choose from and a great opportunity to meet new people:) On the weekends- when it was still warm we went to the beach that is close top Rome, walked through the city & its parks & sightseeings or visited the famous vintage markets & had some gelato -- Overall, we had a lot of fun!

6. Testimonial

verall it was an amazing exchange experience and the best decision for location that I could have made:) A true highlight was meeting new people & getting to know the other people from WU better during this experience and forming new friendships. We had a lot of fun and the city has so many things to offer -- the food, the weather, the culture, the art, the people -- one never gets bored in Rome. Another true highlight was going on the Tuscany trip with ESN : I have never seen such beautiful places before and the rip itself was really well organized & the atmosphere within the group was very fun and welcoming. I would definitely recommend the city and Luiss as a university if you want to have an unforgettable exchange:)