... from ongoing appointments in universities across Australia, to short-term fellowships available to researchers throughout Australasia. Our flagship positions are the six ACIS Cassamarca Appointments established thanks to the original bequest from the Cassamarca Foundation. Our short-term ACIS Save Venice Fellowships support Australasian postgraduate and early career researchers with projects in Venice in collaboration with the non-profit Save Venice Inc. In 2019 we inaugurated a two-year Post-doctoral Fellowship scheme. Details of all three can be found below.
The Flagship philanthropic endeavour of the Austalasian Centre for Italian Studies is the Cassamarca Appointments in Italian Studies, as well as the Cassamarca Chair in Latin Humanism, held in universities across Australia. The Cassamarca appointees research and teach in a variety of discipline areas under the overall rubric of Italian Studies.
The Cassamarca positions were established in 2000 thanks to a donation of the Cassamarca Foundation based in Treviso, Italy. After an open call to Australian universities, 27 applications from 19 institutions were assessed and a decision was made to fund 11 lectureships across 8 universities. In 2012 the Cassamarca Appointments accounted for 20 percent of full-time positions in Italian Studies in Australian universities. With several university re-structures and their impact on Italian Studies, the number of Cassamarca appointees now stands at 6 positions, held at 4 Australian Universities.
Monash University
Professor in Italian Studies, School of Philosophical, Historical & International Studies
Senior Lecturer, European Languages, School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics
The University of Melbourne
Professor in Italian, School of Languages and Linguistics
The University of Sydney
Associate Professor, Department of HIstory
The University of Western Australia
Lecturer in Italian, Department of European Languages and Studies
Cassamarca Chair in Latin Humanism
Associate Professor
Former Cassamarca Appointees:
Flinders University
Flavia Coassin (2000-2008)
Luciana d'Arcangeli (2013-2021)
Swinburne University
Simone Battiston (2006-2020)
Laura Ancilli (2001-2004)
Monash University
Francesco Ricatti (2017-2022)
Patrizia Sambuco (2011-2015)
Susanna Scarparo (2001-2011)
University of Melbourne
Malcolm Angelucci (2017-2018) (replacement for Andrea Rizzi whilst on secondment)
Gregoria Manzin (2015-2016) (replacement for Andrea Rizzi whilst on secondment)
Meg Greenberg (2010-2011) (replacement for Andrea Rizzi whilst on secondment)
Kerstin Pilz (2000-2004)
University of Sydney
Nicholas Eckstein (2000-2021)
Maria Cristina Mauceri (2000-2008; 2010-2013)
Giorgia Alù (2008-2010)
Griffith University
Claire Kennedy (2005-2017?)
University of the Sunshine Coast
Francesco Ricatti (2008-2017)
Francesca Laura (2001-2007)
Linda Bull (2000-2001)
University of Western Australia
Yasmin Haskell (2001-2023)
Josh Brown (2013-2015)
Nicholas Harney (2001-2015)
University of South Australia
Isobel Grave (2005-2016)
Andrea Rizzi (2003-2004)
Mariolina Pais Marden (2000-2003)
Matthew Absalom (2000)
In 2018 ACIS affirmed its commitment to new PhD graduates in Italian Studies and the difficulties they face in the current academic climate, with a decision to co-fund up to two postdoctoral fellowships in Italian Studies in an Australian or New Zealand University. In 2019 the University of Melbourne agreed to co-fund the first of these ACIS Postdoctoral Fellowships. ACIS remains open to approaches from other Universities in the region to establish a further fellowship.
The Fellowship is designed to enable an early career researcher to have the opportunity to build a research profile through the development of an original research project in any area of Italian Studies broadly defined, including, but not limited to, Italian Literature, Linguistics, History, Political Studies, Anthropology, and Art History. The Fellow is also expected to have a teaching workload of 0.2 full time equivalent in their allied discipline area.
To be eligible, candidates must have been awarded a PhD from an Australian or New Zealand university in any area of Italian Studies and be either citizens or permanent residents of Australia or New Zealand. Graduates who satisfy the PhD requirements and currently live in Australia under the Temporary Graduate Visa (485) are also considered.
2022-2024
The University of Melbourne
2019-2021
The University of Melbourne
As part of its commitment to fostering postgraduate and early career researchers, the Australasian Centre for Italian Studies, in collaboration with Save Venice Inc., supports Fellowships in the city of Venice for current MA, PhD students or postdoctoral researchers from the universities of Australia and New Zealand, for the period September to December on an annual basis. Up to two Fellowships are awarded, to the value of AU$8,000 each.
The Fellowships are designed for those researchers and scholars working in Italian studies, broadly conceived, whose research and/or career could benefit in any way from a period in Venice and the use of the city’s substantial resources. Those in the fields of History, Art History, Fine Art, Cultural and Media Studies, and Restoration and Museum Studies will be particularly interested, but applications will be welcome from any field across the humanities and social sciences. Applicants must have language skills in Italian at least at intermediate level as well as fluency in English.
Fellows will be expected to familiarise themselves with the work of Save Venice and, as part of their Fellowships, to assist with the projects under its supervision. Fellows will therefore collaborate with Save Venice for the equivalent of three half-days each week, which will enable them to spend significant time in Venice on their own research projects.
Support for the Fellowships is designed to cover the cost of return airfares between Australasia and Venice, accommodation, travel expenses within the lagoon, and a modest living allowance.
Fellows must be either a current Masters or PhD candidate in any area of Italian Studies at an Australian or New Zealand university or a postdoctoral researcher in any area of Italian Studies within 3 years of successful completion of their Masters or PhD at an Australian or New Zealand university.
Applications will reopen on 1 May 2024, and close at 5pm AEST on Monday 3 June 2024.
Details of the Fellowship, including how to apply, can be found in the attached downloadable PDF.
ACIS Save Venice Fellows:
2023
Brigette de Poi
2022
(Suspended due to COVID-19)
2021
(Suspended due to COVID-19)
2020
2019
2018