Summer Academic Director, Italy

Academic Director (Summer)

Italy: Food Cultures and Sustainability

**Location**: Bologna, Italy

**Reports To**: Assistant Provost for Faculty Development and Academic Affairs

**Anticipated Start Date**: April 1, 2026, 4- 5-month term

**Salary Range**: €11,000 -12,000 (gross)

**Application Deadline**: January 30, 2026 (Rolling review, open until filled)

School for International Training (SIT) is seeking a summer academic director in Italy in the area of food studies, sustainability, Italian studies, or related disciplines. SIT is an accredited US higher education institution and a global leader in experiential education, offering undergraduate and graduate programs focused on critical global issues. Our immersive learning model connects students with local communities, fostering intercultural understanding and social justice.

**Position Description**:
The Academic Director (AD) leads SIT Italy's Bologna-based program, overseeing academic quality, operations, and student services. The AD will manage the summer_ Food Cultures and Sustainability_ program, ensuring alignment with SIT's mission of academic excellence and community engagement.

For compliance with local labor and employment laws and when circumstance warrants, the center director will have a local employment contract through an affiliated local entity or as determined by SIT.

**Responsibilities**

The academic director is responsible for the design, planning, delivery, and supervision of the academic program offered by SIT at its assigned program location in consultation and support of SIT departments including the Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty, Global Operations, Human Resources, and Office Student Health, Safety, and Well-being. Overall responsibilities include:

- ensuring academic excellence of the program in line with SIT's academic policies
- creating a welcoming & safe learning environment for students, staff, and local faculty
- managing the program site and supervision of local staff, budget planning and oversight, and financial reporting
- representing SIT at the program location and developing and maintaining positive relationships with SIT and local partners

The academic director must remain current in their areas of expertise and familiar with in-country issues and practices in higher education. Academic directors are expected to be active members of the SIT community, giving service to the institution, and acting as a thought leader in institutional initiatives.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Academic Management
- General management and oversight of program delivery of the undergraduate program in collaboration with SIT Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty, Office of Global Operations, and Office of Student health, Safety, and Well-being.
- Teaching one three-credit course or equivalent, serving as faculty of record for the other courses, hiring guest lecturers to teach on the program, advising the students on their Independent Study Projects, and, when applicable, working with the internship coordinator to ensure the highest quality experience for the students.
- Curriculum development and academic oversight in consultation and support from the Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty and in accordance with SIT policies.
- Advising in matters regarding academic program delivery and scheduling.
- Designing and delivering the students' on-site cross-cultural orientation and teaching components of the thematic and project-based courses, in their areas of expertise, as appropriate;
- Designing and coordinating an experiential educational experience including in and out of the classroom activities. Facilitating the linkages between and among each of these various components and program excursions.
- Generally guiding and advising students in both their cross-cultural learning processes and academic experiences including the Independent Study Project and, when applicable, internship, thus serving as an educator/teacher in the broadest sense by assisting students to draw substantive connections from among different aspects of the experience.
- Conducting the program review and academic evaluation at the end of the program and incorporating feedback to enhance program academic quality.
- Serving as thought leader by maintaining an active agenda of research and knowledge production and publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- **Program & Operations Management**
- Managing program administration and operations in compliance with local laws and regulations and in consultation with and support from SIT's Office of Global Operations.
- Serve as in-country entity representative for compliance purposes as required.
- Negotiating cost-effective program services and managing the program budget.
- Collaborating with the World Learning Human Resources, Legal Counsel, and Office of the Provost & Dean of Faculty in recruitment and termination decisions regarding program support staff.
- Supervising local program staff, including men