With its unique features and location, Gorizia provides not only a distinctive setting in Italy but also the opportunity to foster strong international relations. It is the new Joint Master’s Programme in Political Science – Integration & Governance (PoSIG), a two-year course delivered entirely in English that involves the University of Trieste, with Gorizia as its reference campus, and 13 universities from eight countries. Aimed at graduates in Political Science or International Relations, this inter-university joint degree further strengthens Gorizia’s international vocation.

Rector Donata Vianelli emphasised: ‘I am proud to present this new programme of our University in Gorizia, a campus we are committed to enhancing in close collaboration with local institutions. PoSIG is unique in Italy and Europe, and will be taught in this extraordinary border city. Its purpose is to bring people together and provide young people with opportunities of real value in the job market. I see Gorizia as a university city-campus that can attract students from all over Europe, overcoming boundaries while promoting collaboration and cultural and academic exchange.’

Mayor Rodolfo Ziberna added: ‘Year after year we are pleased to constantly more and more UniTS courses offered in Gorizia. Prestigious courses like this consolidate our city’s role in the geopolitical landscape and its international vocation. The launch of PoSIG is a great source of pride and will have an exceptional impact on our campus and on the city, especially looking towards the enlargement of the European Union.’

Giuliana Parotto, PoSIG Coordinator for the University of Trieste, explained: ‘During one of the Academies traditionally organised in Salzburg by the founders of PoSIG, I had the opportunity to meet in person the lecturers involved in this academic initiative. This led to the inclusion of UniTS this year as the sole Italian partner. Gorizia brings added value to this one-of-a-kind programme in Europe: it will host an international degree attracting students from across Europe and the Caucasus. Here, students will attend courses in methodology, international relations and political theory.’

Franz Kok, General Coordinator of PoSIG and representative of the Rector of the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg (PLUS), presented the programme in detail. Students will study at a minimum of two different partner institutions across Austria, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Italy, North Macedonia, and Kosovo, obtaining a joint degree recognised by all participating universities. Entirely taught in English, the course combines a solid theoretical foundation with a strong research orientation on decision-making processes and public policies, with a particular focus on governance and integration in national and international contexts.

The curriculum includes modules in Comparative Politics, European Integration, International Relations, Public Administration and Policy, and Political Theory. The programme also features internships with international partner organisations such as the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the Central European Initiative (CEI), the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE), the UNODC, and the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO). PoSIG promotes a European model of training in multilateral politics and represents a unique opportunity for those seeking expertise in integration and governance in international settings. The University of Trieste contributes 30 credits with courses in Strategic Studies – International Relations, Political Theory, Conflict Resolution – International Relations, Methodology – Project Cycle Management, and Methodology – Quantitative Analysis.

Founded in Salzburg in 2016, the course originally required students to complete their first year in either Salzburg or Ljubljana, but this restriction was lifted in 2023. Over the years the Consortium has expanded to include universities from the Caucasus, accredited in 2025.

Joining the Consortium is a significant step in UniTS’s internationalisation strategy: no other Italian university offers a Joint Degree of this kind. The PoSIG diploma is highly attractive and will help strengthen international relations with regions beyond the European Union, looking ahead to their potential accession.

Currently, including PLUS and UniTS, the Consortium comprises 13 universities from eight countries:

• Albania, Tirana: European University of Tirana (UET); University of Tirana (UTIR)
• Armenia, Yerevan: Yerevan State University (YSU); Eurasia International University (EIU)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo: University of Sarajevo (UNSA); Sarajevo School of Science and Technology (SSST)
• Georgia, Tbilisi: Tbilisi State University (TSU); Georgian Institute for Public Affairs (GIPA)
• North Macedonia, Skopje: Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje (UKIM)
• Kosovo, Prishtina: University of Business and Technology (UBT); University of Prishtina (UP)