Dr. Sabrina Joseph, Provost of The American University of Rome, discusses the merits of a liberal arts education at AUR.Wanted in Rome: You’ve just joined AUR after more than two decades of leadership in international higher education. Why did you choose AUR at this point in your career? What attracted you to this institution?Dr. Sabrina Joseph: What drew me to AUR is its visionary and committed leadership team as well as its mission, which rests on four core pillars: interdisciplinarity, student-centeredness, experiential learning, and global engagement. These have been central themes throughout my career, and AUR not only values them—it lives them. They are woven into the very fabric of the university’s identity and reflected in the work that faculty members carry out on a day-to-day basis. I also find the diversity on campus to be inspiring, with over sixty different nationalities represented among our student body. We often say, “Rome is our classroom,” but it’s more than that—we not only present Rome to the world but also bring the world to Rome. For an institution of AUR’s size, that global reach is truly remarkable. Finally, I’m deeply enthusiastic about how AUR bridges the liberal arts with experiential learning and viable career paths. By combining critical and creative thinking with practical, hands-on experiences, the university equips students with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Q: What do you see as AUR’s main strength? A: AUR’s greatest strength lies in its liberal arts education model. Our students engage in broad intellectual exploration across the humanities, arts, and social sciences. This interdisciplinary approach nurtures critical thinking, creativity, ethical awareness, and a truly global perspective. Such “soft skills” are increasingly vital in today’s world. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 report, for instance, identifies them as essential for success in the evolving workplace. As AI continues to expand across industries, employers are placing greater emphasis on the uniquely human skills that foster creativity, collaboration, and adaptability. Ultimately, leaders of the future will be distinguished by their resilience and capacity for innovation—and these are precisely the qualities that AUR cultivates. Q: Speaking of AI, you’ve been ahead of the curve in Dubai with HyFlex and VR-based learning. The elephant in the room is artificial intelligence; should universities embrace it or keep their distance? A: Artificial intelligence is impossible to ignore; it is rapidly transforming both the workplace and the landscape of higher education. The real challenge for universities lies not in resisting this change, but in defining what responsible and meaningful engagement should look like. We must strike a balance between adopting new technologies and ensuring that students learn to interact with them thoughtfully, critically, and ethically. Too often, institutions focus primarily on the technical dimensions of AI, while overlooking its ethical implications. As an international, liberal arts university in Rome, AUR is uniquely positioned to help lead this conversation. Universities have a duty to equip students with a nuanced understanding of AI — its productive capacities as well as its potential pitfalls. Genuine understanding can only emerge through structured, critical engagement, which is why integrating AI literacy and ethics into the curriculum stands among AUR’s top priorities. When done in conjunction with developing the foundational skills that employers continue to prize — communication, creative thinking, intellectual independence, and adaptability — graduates will emerge as future ready and prepared to navigate the increasingly mobile and technology driven world we live in. The American University of Rome  Q: You’ve lived and worked across the Middle East. What similarities and contrasts do you see between your experience there and your new role in Rome? A: At my previous institution, the American University in Dubai, I had the privilege of working in an exceptionally diverse academic community. Students came from every corner of the world, creating a dynamic environment that fostered genuine intercultural competency: the ability to communicate effectively across social, cultural and political boundaries. That global outlook is also one of AUR’s defining strengths. Combined with the spirit of community mindedness that permeates the university, AUR is truly a special place. Of course, there are also some notable differences. The undergraduate and graduate programs at The American University of Rome are more firmly rooted in the liberal arts, extending across the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Within this scope, we are also looking to broaden AUR’s curricular offerings in the near future. Over the course of my career, I have amassed considerable experience in bridging the liberal arts with experiential learning— an approach I regard as essential for preparing students to address increasingly complex and multifaceted global challenges. Experiential learning, furthermore, should be broadly conceived, encompassing not only internships but also, for example, project-based learning, field experiences, public exhibitions, e-portfolios, and community-oriented initiatives. Our aim at AUR is to provide diverse opportunities to students that enable them to translate theory into practice in impactful and meaningful ways. Q: You’re also very committed to inclusion. What does inclusion really mean to you, and how do you make it tangible at AUR? A: Inclusion is one of AUR’s core priorities, reflecting the multicultural ethos embedded in its mission. The university is committed to creating an environment where students, faculty, and staff—regardless of their background, identity, ability, or circumstance—can fully participate, contribute, and thrive.  As part of our commitment to student success, faculty and staff work collaboratively to foster a supportive environment for students with diverse learning needs. AUR has robust systems in place, for example, to ensure that necessary learning accommodations are provided to students with such needs. On a practical level, promoting inclusion requires coordination across departments— including academic affairs, enrollment, student life, human resources, and others—to create a campus culture that is welcoming, supportive, and equitable. Overall, through its policies, teaching, and engagement activities, the university strives to ensure that interactions are respectful and inclusive of diverse individuals and ideas. Q: Rome isn’t always an inclusive city. How can AUR make a difference? A: In addition to its broader commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment, AUR is taking a leading role in promoting gender equality, exemplified by its five-year Gender Equality Plan launched in 2023. The university addresses gender issues holistically, both within the curriculum and through efforts to ensure equity in its own leadership and staffing. AUR impacts the broader community by not only serving as an example, but also through meaningful local and international partnerships that foster dialogue and the sharing of knowledge and best practices. More specifically, AUR’s faculty actively collaborate with media outlets, NGOs, and public and private sector organizations in Italy and beyond, sharing their expertise on a wide range of international issues. Through this engagement, the university helps strengthen civil society and cultivate global awareness—essential cornerstones of inclusion. Q: Beyond inclusion, preparing students for the workplace is another key focus. What are your plans in that area? A: Employability is central to AUR’s strategic vision. We are expanding the Career Office and planning to appoint an Assistant Dean of Career Strategy and Experiential Learning to enhance support available to students and expand experiential learning opportunities. The university will also be using a new employment platform to help facilitate student internships and engagement with potential employers and alumni. AUR’s Real Projects course, furthermore, enables students to collaborate directly with companies to tackle real-world challenges. AUR firmly believes that undergraduate students need to start thinking about possible career or graduate school pathways early on and work closely with their advisors to design their own unique learning journeys at AUR. Beyond the major, this can include pursuing a specific minor, field trip(s), an internship, extracurricular activities, foreign language courses, non-credited workshops, etc. In fact, we are in the process of developing a new design thinking-based career course focused on nurturing this sort of strategic planning mindset among students towards their individual university experiences, with the aim of better preparing them to meet their post-graduation goals. There are more than 60 nationalities represented among the AUR student body  At the graduate level, AUR combines rigorous theoretical foundations with practical, hands-on learning opportunities to provide students with the expertise required to thrive professionally. The university’s MA programs in ‘Cultural Heritage’, ‘Food Studies’, and ‘Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution’ also actively engage with local and international partners on a range of initiatives to ensure the currency of our programs, enriching student experiences, and ongoing dialogue with private, public, and non-governmental entities. Overall, the university aims to build a comprehensive, integrated ‘employability’ ecosystem that guides students throughout their academic journeys, fosters experiential learning opportunities across the curriculum, and provides resources to help students design their own futures. Many of these initiatives are already underway but will expand further over the next several years as the university continues to grow. Q: Let’s talk about Rome. How do students interact with the city? What are its strengths and challenges for them—and for you? A: On a personal level, I have found Romans to be incredibly welcoming and patient with foreigners attempting to speak Italian. I enjoy visiting neighborhoods across the city and appreciate that people take the time to savor life. Rome offers a distinctive blend of the old and the new: notable modern infrastructure and innovative developments coexist alongside a profound cultural heritage. AUR students have numerous opportunities to experience Rome’s historical sites and cultural landmarks, many of which are embedded in the curriculum— for example, in Italian language courses and credited academic field trips. Certainly, in terms of challenges, bureaucracy can be slow at times, but it is often approached with humor, which helps navigate the process. What I find particularly inspiring is how deeply culture and history are woven into everyday life. For students who choose to study in Rome, this creates endless opportunities for engagement, exploration, and discovery. Q: What has surprised you most since arriving in Rome? A: I consider myself to be a global citizen, having lived and worked in various countries around the world. Therefore, I can’t say that anything in particular has truly shocked me in Rome so far. I appreciate cultural diversity and try to embed myself in the local context. That said, I have been pleasantly surprised by some societal initiatives, such as the trams being replaced by free buses until early December while maintenance works are taking place. Compared to other cities, I appreciate Rome’s quirks and warmth. Q: Do you have a favourite spot yet? A: I love the family-run café under our apartment, they’re very welcoming and remembered my husband and I after the second visit. I also enjoy the genuine neighborhood feel around AUR. In addition to the beautiful architecture and green spaces surrounding the campus, Via Carini is charming, with small shops and various longstanding hangout spots popular with the AUR community. Interview by Marco Venturini

Wanted in Rome: You’ve just joined AUR after more than two decades of leadership in international higher education. Why did you choose AUR at this point in your career? What attracted you to this institution? Dr. Sabrina Joseph: What drew me to AUR is its visionary and committed leadership team as well as its mission, which rests on four core pillars: interdisciplinarity, student-centeredness, experiential learning, and global engagement. These have been central themes throughout my career, and AUR not only values them—it lives them. They are woven into the very fabric of the university’s identity and reflected in the work that faculty members carry out on a day-to-day basis. I also find the diversity on campus to be inspiring, with over sixty different nationalities represented among our student body. We often say, “Rome is our classroom,” but it’s more than that—we not only present Rome to the world but also bring the world to Rome. For an institution of AUR’s size, that global reach is truly remarkable. Finally, I’m deeply enthusiastic about how AUR bridges the liberal arts with experiential learning and viable career paths. By combining critical and creative thinking with practical, hands-on experiences, the university equips students with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. Q: What do you see as AUR’s main strength? A: AUR’s greatest strength lies in its liberal arts education model. Our students engage in broad intellectual exploration across the humanities, arts, and social sciences. This interdisciplinary approach nurtures critical thinking, creativity, ethical awareness, and a truly global perspective. Such “soft skills” are increasingly vital in today’s world. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs 2025 report, for instance, identifies them as essential for success in the evolving workplace. As AI continues to expand across industries, employers are placing greater emphasis on the uniquely human skills that foster creativity, collaboration, and adaptability. Ultimately, leaders of the future will be distinguished by their resilience and capacity for innovation—and these are precisely the qualities that AUR cultivates.

Q: Speaking of AI, you’ve been ahead of the curve in Dubai with HyFlex and VR-based learning. The elephant in the room is artificial intelligence; should universities embrace it or keep their distance?

A: Artificial intelligence is impossible to ignore; it is rapidly transforming both the workplace and the landscape of higher education. The real challenge for universities lies not in resisting this change, but in defining what responsible and meaningful engagement should look like. We must strike a balance between adopting new technologies and ensuring that students learn to interact with them thoughtfully, critically, and ethically. Too often, institutions focus primarily on the technical dimensions of AI, while overlooking its ethical implications. As an international, liberal arts university in Rome, AUR is uniquely positioned to help lead this conversation. Universities have a duty to equip students with a nuanced understanding of AI — its productive capacities as well as its potential pitfalls. Genuine understanding can only emerge through structured, critical engagement, which is why integrating AI literacy and ethics into the curriculum stands among AUR’s top priorities. When done in conjunction with developing the foundational skills that employers continue to prize — communication, creative thinking, intellectual independence, and adaptability — graduates will emerge as future ready and prepared to navigate the increasingly mobile and technology driven world we live in.
The American University of Rome  Q: You’ve lived and worked across the Middle East. What similarities and contrasts do you see between your experience there and your new role in Rome? A: At my previous institution, the American University in Dubai, I had the privilege of working in an exceptionally diverse academic community. Students came from every corner of the world, creating a dynamic environment that fostered genuine intercultural competency: the ability to communicate effectively across social, cultural and political boundaries. That global outlook is also one of AUR’s defining strengths. Combined with the spirit of community mindedness that permeates the university, AUR is truly a special place. Of course, there are also some notable differences. The undergraduate and graduate programs at The American University of Rome are more firmly rooted in the liberal arts, extending across the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Within this scope, we are also looking to broaden AUR’s curricular offerings in the near future. Over the course of my career, I have amassed considerable experience in bridging the liberal arts with experiential learning— an approach I regard as essential for preparing students to address increasingly complex and multifaceted global challenges. Experiential learning, furthermore, should be broadly conceived, encompassing not only internships but also, for example, project-based learning, field experiences, public exhibitions, e-portfolios, and community-oriented initiatives. Our aim at AUR is to provide diverse opportunities to students that enable them to translate theory into practice in impactful and meaningful ways. Q: You’re also very committed to inclusion. What does inclusion really mean to you, and how do you make it tangible at AUR? A: Inclusion is one of AUR’s core priorities, reflecting the multicultural ethos embedded in its mission. The university is committed to creating an environment where students, faculty, and staff—regardless of their background, identity, ability, or circumstance—can fully participate, contribute, and thrive.  As part of our commitment to student success, faculty and staff work collaboratively to foster a supportive environment for students with diverse learning needs. AUR has robust systems in place, for example, to ensure that necessary learning accommodations are provided to students with such needs. On a practical level, promoting inclusion requires coordination across departments— including academic affairs, enrollment, student life, human resources, and others—to create a campus culture that is welcoming, supportive, and equitable. Overall, through its policies, teaching, and engagement activities, the university strives to ensure that interactions are respectful and inclusive of diverse individuals and ideas. Q: Rome isn’t always an inclusive city. How can AUR make a difference? A: In addition to its broader commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment, AUR is taking a leading role in promoting gender equality, exemplified by its five-year Gender Equality Plan launched in 2023. The university addresses gender issues holistically, both within the curriculum and through efforts to ensure equity in its own leadership and staffing. AUR impacts the broader community by not only serving as an example, but also through meaningful local and international partnerships that foster dialogue and the sharing of knowledge and best practices. More specifically, AUR’s faculty actively collaborate with media outlets, NGOs, and public and private sector organizations in Italy and beyond, sharing their expertise on a wide range of international issues. Through this engagement, the university helps strengthen civil society and cultivate global awareness—essential cornerstones of inclusion. Q: Beyond inclusion, preparing students for the workplace is another key focus. What are your plans in that area? A: Employability is central to AUR’s strategic vision. We are expanding the Career Office and planning to appoint an Assistant Dean of Career Strategy and Experiential Learning to enhance support available to students and expand experiential learning opportunities. The university will also be using a new employment platform to help facilitate student internships and engagement with potential employers and alumni. AUR’s Real Projects course, furthermore, enables students to collaborate directly with companies to tackle real-world challenges. AUR firmly believes that undergraduate students need to start thinking about possible career or graduate school pathways early on and work closely with their advisors to design their own unique learning journeys at AUR. Beyond the major, this can include pursuing a specific minor, field trip(s), an internship, extracurricular activities, foreign language courses, non-credited workshops, etc. In fact, we are in the process of developing a new design thinking-based career course focused on nurturing this sort of strategic planning mindset among students towards their individual university experiences, with the aim of better preparing them to meet their post-graduation goals.
There are more than 60 nationalities represented among the AUR student body  At the graduate level, AUR combines rigorous theoretical foundations with practical, hands-on learning opportunities to provide students with the expertise required to thrive professionally. The university’s MA programs in ‘Cultural Heritage’, ‘Food Studies’, and ‘Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution’ also actively engage with local and international partners on a range of initiatives to ensure the currency of our programs, enriching student experiences, and ongoing dialogue with private, public, and non-governmental entities. Overall, the university aims to build a comprehensive, integrated ‘employability’ ecosystem that guides students throughout their academic journeys, fosters experiential learning opportunities across the curriculum, and provides resources to help students design their own futures. Many of these initiatives are already underway but will expand further over the next several years as the university continues to grow.

Q: Let’s talk about Rome. How do students interact with the city? What are its strengths and challenges for them—and for you? A: On a personal level, I have found Romans to be incredibly welcoming and patient with foreigners attempting to speak Italian. I enjoy visiting neighborhoods across the city and appreciate that people take the time to savor life. Rome offers a distinctive blend of the old and the new: notable modern infrastructure and innovative developments coexist alongside a profound cultural heritage. AUR students have numerous opportunities to experience Rome’s historical sites and cultural landmarks, many of which are embedded in the curriculum— for example, in Italian language courses and credited academic field trips. Certainly, in terms of challenges, bureaucracy can be slow at times, but it is often approached with humor, which helps navigate the process. What I find particularly inspiring is how deeply culture and history are woven into everyday life. For students who choose to study in Rome, this creates endless opportunities for engagement, exploration, and discovery. Q: What has surprised you most since arriving in Rome? A: I consider myself to be a global citizen, having lived and worked in various countries around the world. Therefore, I can’t say that anything in particular has truly shocked me in Rome so far. I appreciate cultural diversity and try to embed myself in the local context. That said, I have been pleasantly surprised by some societal initiatives, such as the trams being replaced by free buses until early December while maintenance works are taking place. Compared to other cities, I appreciate Rome’s quirks and warmth. Q: Do you have a favourite spot yet? A: I love the family-run café under our apartment, they’re very welcoming and remembered my husband and I after the second visit. I also enjoy the genuine neighborhood feel around AUR. In addition to the beautiful architecture and green spaces surrounding the campus, Via Carini is charming, with small shops and various longstanding hangout spots popular with the AUR community. Interview by Marco Venturini