Ionuț NISTOR (“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași)
ITALIAN LANGUAGE AND CIVILIZATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IAŞI IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY
Keywords: University of Iaşi, Italian language, Italian Department, Romanian-Italian relations.
Summary: The study of the Italian language at the University of Iași was stimulated by the joint political initiative of Romania and Italy to boost bilateral relations. The political agreement concluded in 1926 paved the way for cultural and academic cooperation, while Mussolini’s objective to develop relations with south-eastern European countries, to the detriment of France, led to a more visible presence of Italian culture in Romania especially due to the opening of language and civilization departments within universities. The first Italian Language Department was established at the University of Iași in 1929. The introduction of Italian as a compulsory discipline for Modern Philology students in the mid-1930s led to an increase in the number of students. However, the development of Romanian-Italian academic relations, which was also politically stimulated by both countries joining the Axis, was halted for political reasons, as well: from 1943 Romania and Italy followed different paths, and the collaboration between universities was thus interrupted.