Sardinia and Cagliari, the heart of the Mediterranean Sea

The climate in Sardinia is typically Mediterranean with mild winters and hot, dry summers; this is due to the latitude in which the city is located.

Rainfall is concentrated in autumn and winter, especially in the mountainous areas. Spring can be unpredictable, rainy and dry, changing from year to year, while summers are dry, generally without precipitation.

Sardinia's climate is also influenced by winds from Africa and the north-west. The Mistral, coming from the north-west, gives hot summers, but is cold in winter. The warm Sirocco winds from Africa result in mild winters but contribute to water evaporation and the resulting dry summers.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean with a total area of 24,090 km², 1,850 km of coastline and just over 1,600,000 inhabitants. It is located in the centre of the western Mediterranean, about 187 km from the Italian peninsula.

Its territory is predominantly hilly and plateaus, while the central-eastern areas are mountainous, with the highest peak measuring 1,834 m. The north-west and south-west coasts are characterised by plains, a variety of landscapes such as beaches, sand dunes, cliffs and bays.

Due to its geo-morphological characteristics, the island possesses some of the most varied natural and climatic ecosystems of any Italian region.

Because of its central position in the Mediterranean, Sardinia has been a land of conquest for many peoples from neighbouring regions and, while it is not yet certain whether it was inhabited in the Palaeolithic period, it has certainly been inhabited since the Neolithic.

The archaeological remains scattered throughout the island reveal some unique features of a distinct history. The Island is indeed rich in the remains of nuraghes, tholos-shaped stone constructions built by the original inhabitants.

Since then, Sardinia has been conquered by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Pisans, Genoese, Spanish and finally by the Savoy dynasty when it was in power. This was also the case for several regions in northern Italy. Thus, in 1861, Northern Italy and the Kingdom of Sardinia became part of the newly founded monarchical country, Italy.

In 1948, when the new Constitution of the Italian Republic came into force, Sardinia was granted a Special Statute of Autonomy that gave the regional government legislative powers in matters such as administration, building policy, transport, water management, mines and quarries, tourism, libraries, and museums.

Sardinians are Italy's largest ethnic minority and their language, Sardinian, which has many variants, was officially recognised as a language by the Italian government in 1999.

Historically, the Sardinian economy has been based on agriculture, livestock breeding and fishing and the exploitation of its mineral resources since prehistoric times. The last fifteen years have seen a growth in entrepreneurship and local businesses, especially in tourism and the agri-food industry.

Cagliari is the capital, the main cultural centre of Sardinia and the most populated with around 160,000 inhabitants. It is located in the centre of the Gulf of the Angels, along the southern side of Sardinia. Numerous open-air archaeological sites and unspoilt natural environments allow for unusual itineraries, full of charm and beauty, ranging between art and nature.

In every season, thanks to its particularly mild climate, the city offers visitors the opportunity to discover its architecture, archaeology and monuments, its millennial history as well as the influences of the various peoples who have inhabited it.

Cagliari is 'the city of the sun', but above all 'the city of the sea'. From the surrounding hills you can admire the multicoloured sea, which merges with the city to produce a unique panorama.

With some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, spring and summer offer the opportunity to take advantage of all that the beach has to offer and to discover a still unspoilt natural environment.

Cagliari has much to offer visitors who want to enjoy the sun, sea and countryside, with the opportunity to experience a unique and rich culture.

For more information on Sardinia, please visit: www.sardegnaturismo.it/en/

Cagliari Turismo: the tourist portal of the city of Cagliari
Sardegna Turismo: the tourist portal of our island

Academic information for incoming students

Here you will find all the information about our organization, our courses and our academic life.

We also recommend that you join our Facebook group AMICI DI ISMOKA- UNIVERSITA’ DI CAGLIARI https://www.facebook.com/groups/amicidiismoka. 

Academic Calendar

The semesters begin and end as follows:

• 1st semester - Fall:
  Late September – December (exams January-February)
• 2nd semester - Spring:
  Late February to June (exams June-July)
  Exams can be taken also in the September session

Corsi di lingua italiana per studenti in entrata

Italian language school - October 2024 - Application OPEN

THE COURSES WILL TAKE PLACE IN PRESENCE. STUDENTS WILL GET ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE LESSONS.

Starting date:7 October 2024; 

Deadline for application on-line September 16

Placement test: 25 September 2024, h. 18:00-20:00 (in person)
Level:  A1 – A2 - B1 -B2


LESSONS: 3 days a week – h. 18:00-20:00

64 hours in total for each course
6 ECTS credits

To be admitted to the final exam you cannot miss more than 20% of class hours.

The Italian language programs are designed by the CIS (Centro Interdipartimentale per l’insegnamento dell’Italiano agli Stranieri) and ISMOKA, to immerse participants in the Italian language.

These programs are designed to involve every aspect of the language: grammar, phonetics and vocabulary, with the aim of developing the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
 

TUITION AND FEES

ENROLLED/EXCHANGE STUDENTS: 66,70 €
EXTERNAL PARTICIPANTS NOT ENROLLED AT UNICA: 125,62 €

REGISTRATION

The places are LIMITED (only 25 students per class). 

If you are interested in attending the Italian course you HAVE TO:

- fill in the form at the application linked at this page; 

- wait for the e-mail containing instructions for the payment of the course;

- pay by bank transfer, and send a copy of the payment receipt to the address italiano@unica.it;

- wait for the e-mail confirming your registration.
 

EXTERNAL PARTICIPANTS NOT ENROLLED AT UNICA

There are limited places for those who are not enrolled at UNICA.
These courses are free of charge for the representatives of "Circoli Sardi nel mondo"
If interested in attending our courses, send an e-mail to italiano@unica.it

Link per l’application form- October 2024
https://sites.unica.it/modulimobilita/2024/07/22/application-italian-october-2024/ 

Accommodation in Cagliari

Short-term stay

On your arrival in Cagliari, you will need to find an accommodation. As you might have noticed September is still a busy month in Sardinia due to the ongoing tourist season and prices can be quite high.
We are aware that this could be a big problem for our students, therefore we have found an agreement with ERSU, the regional board which manages the student residences in Cagliari.
We are pleased to inform you that incoming students from the University of Cagliari can book a room at the newest student residence in Viale La Plaia (Cagliari) for 5 days between August 1st and October 2nd while looking for a long-term accommodation.
If you are interested, you can send an e-mail to ufficioalloggi@ersucagliari.it to have more information about costs and availability.

For your first week stay in Cagliari you can contact: 

• Our guest house 
• College sant’Efisio

Long-term accommodation

If you are looking for a long-stay accommodation, you can contact the ESN Student Association staff by emailing incoming@esncagliari.org or by visiting their website https://cagliari.esn.it/it. 

If you are a medical student, you can also contact the Associazione Dipartimento Medico for assistance, email: dipartimentomedicocagliari@gmail.com
website: Dipartimento Medico | Associazione Dipartimento Medico

We have collected a few websites that might help you in your search:

International student housing | Erasmus Play
Cagliari.Bakeca
Subito.it
Airbnb
Easystanza
Sportello casa Cagliari

We favourably welcome applications from students with disabilities

The counsellor for students with disabilities runs a comprehensive service dealing with: admission arrangements, personal support, learning support, advice on purchasing equipment and special arrangements for examinations.

UniCa has introduced the following services to enable students to participate in all aspects of university life:

• Tutoring service for the assistance and integration of students with disabilities;
• Agreement with the Institute for the Blind for the organisation of computer literacy courses, for which the University provides computer equipment, a loaner, braille printer and enlarging photocopier;
• Interpreting service for deaf students;
• Provision of specific equipment and aids;
• Note-taking service in some faculties for students with sensory disabilities;
• Transport service with an equipped minibus and escort for students with motor and sensory disabilities;

     The above services are also offered to graduate students attending specialisation      courses, research doctorates, master's degrees and everything related to post-          graduate study;

• Counselling and orientation service to support upper secondary school students entering university;
• Orientation and assistance in selective examinations for admission to degree courses with programmed access;
• Mediation work with professors for the customisation of examinations;
• Orientation and assistance during examinations for students with motor and sensory disabilities;
• Collection of bibliographic and teaching materials;
• Bureaucratic and administrative procedures (application for enrolment, payment of fees, etc.);
• Information on the study programme, class schedules and exam dates;
• Activation of book lending with a special card in agreement with the library directors;
• Reporting and solving parking problems;
• Reporting architectural barriers in university buildings, with a view to reducing or eliminating them;
• Contact and collaboration with the Institute for the Blind;
• Reserved seats in the classroom.

Contacts:

DISABILITY OFFICE, Via San Giorgio 12, 09124 Cagliari

Telephone: +39 070 675 6222

E-mail: tutor.sia@unica.it

For further information, please visit the following website: 
https://people.unica.it/disabilita/