The American University of Rome prepares for the 2025–2026 academic year with record-setting growth, dynamic leadership, and a campus on the cusp of transformation. Fall 2025 is projected to welcome the largest incoming cohort in the university’s history - marking the fourth consecutive year of record enrollment and signaling sustained interest in AUR’s distinctive, international education model.
To support this growing demand, AUR has launched an ambitious, multi-year campus expansion that will reimagine its Monteverde location as a vibrant, integrated academic hub. The development will introduce cutting-edge classrooms, an enhanced library, expanded athletic facilities, and dynamic new communal spaces designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and wellbeing. The arts building will also be upgraded, with the renovation of the existing facilities and the addition of new spaces for student studio work. More than a physical upgrade, this expansion is a rearticulation of AUR’s mission: to deliver a globally focused, student-centered education in the heart of Rome.
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This transformation extends beyond bricks and mortar. AUR has welcomed a slate of exceptional new academic leaders and faculty who bring both international experience and fresh intellectual energy to the institution. Dr. Sabrina Joseph joins as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, bringing two decades of leadership experience and a scholarly focus on global history and cultural exchange. She is joined by new faculty across Film, Communication, and Business—each bringing world-class credentials and expert perspectives that enrich AUR’s interdisciplinary teaching model.
Among them are Assistant Professor Mariangela Ciccarello, a filmmaker whose work spans international festivals and installations; Dr. Lucia Tralli, a scholar of digital media and feminist media studies; and Dr. Tetyana Kholod, whose research in strategic leadership and corporate ethics enhances the global business curriculum. These appointments represent a strategic investment in academic excellence—and in preparing students to navigate and lead in a complex, interconnected world.
AUR’s academic momentum is perhaps nowhere more visible than in the Aventinus Minor Project (AMP) - a landmark archaeological excavation just minutes from the Roman Forum. Led by AUR’s archaeology faculty in collaboration with undergraduate and postgraduate students, AMP offers a rare opportunity to explore largely untouched layers of Roman history. Excavations in 2024 revealed an extraordinary sequence of discoveries: from Late Republican floors and Imperial-period domestic artifacts, to Late Roman lime kilns and even Renaissance reuse of classical materials. A human skeleton uncovered on-site may provide further insight into early medieval life on the Aventine.
This academically rigorous and community-engaged initiative is also a testament to donor impact. Thanks to a generous matching challenge from an anonymous supporter, AMP has not only enriched our historical understanding of Rome, but also offered AUR students unparalleled hands-on learning and research opportunities.
Reflecting on this moment of institutional momentum, AUR President Dr. Scott Sprenger commented: “AUR is moving forward with strategic focus and a clear sense of purpose—from record enrollments and renewed academic leadership to major initiatives like campus expansion, academic revitalization, and transformational projects like AMP. These developments show what’s possible when thoughtful, board-supported strategy is matched by committed action on the ground. As a relatively young institution, this moment opens a new chapter in AUR’s history—broadening our reach, deepening our impact, and reaffirming our mission to be a force for positive change in the world.”