The Accademia Europea di Firenze (AEF) is proud to announce a new step in its commitment to global education and cultural exchange through a dynamic partnership with Pistoia Basket 2000 and Elon University (North Carolina, USA). This collaboration builds upon AEF’s established relationship with Elon University, as its Centre Abroad in Italy, further expanding opportunities for international students to experience the intersection of sport, culture, and academic learning in Florence.
Beginning in 2025, AEF and Pistoia Basket will welcome a new group of students from Elon University to take part in an academic and professional program designed to integrate classroom learning with real-world experience. The initiative will combine Italian language study, intercultural education, and practical internships within Pistoia Basket’s professional organization. Students will gain hands-on experience in areas such as sports management, marketing, communications, and community engagement while immersing themselves in Italian culture and the European sporting environment.
The partnership represents a significant step forward in connecting education and sport as spaces of cultural exchange and collaboration. Through this experience, students will not only develop professional and linguistic skills, but also learn to work in multicultural environments, adapt to new contexts, and appreciate the value of teamwork and community - principles that are deeply embedded in both sport and education.
For AEF President Gustavo Gesteira, the project reflects the Accademia’s values and mission. “We are thrilled to launch this collaboration,” said AEF President Gustavo Gesteira Costa. “This project perfectly embodies our educational vision: experiential, international, and deeply rooted in the local community. We will offer American students a unique opportunity to develop practical skills in an authentic and highly stimulating environment.”
Andrea Di Nino, General Manager of Pistoia Basket, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, describing it as “a project that demonstrates how sport can connect people, cultures, and learning. Pistoia Basket is proud to work with AEF and Elon University to show that basketball can be a tool for education, collaboration, and shared growth.”
From the United States, Elon University representatives Nick Gozik, Dean of Global Education, and Kenn Gaither, Dean of the School of Communications, highlighted the importance of the partnership as a way of expanding the global vision of their programmes. Both emphasised the value of experiential learning and the potential for Florence and AEF to offer students a truly international educational experience rooted in creativity and cultural understanding.
Elisabetta Santanni, AEF Academic Director, underscored how the initiative aligns with AEF’s broader educational philosophy: “This project perfectly reflects our pedagogic mission, connecting our students to the host environment in a productive and meaningful way that fosters human connections, academic learning, and personal growth. At AEF, we apply the Community-Based Global Learning methodology, which consists in co-designing mutually beneficial experiences with local stakeholders, across all our academic offerings, constantly pursuing innovation and excellence in higher education.”
This initiative builds on the long-standing collaboration between AEF and Elon University, reinforcing AEF’s reputation as a bridge between American higher education and Italian culture. By working alongside Pistoia Basket 2000, AEF continues to transform Florence into a living classroom, where students can connect academic learning with real-world practice and global citizenship.
At the Accademia Europea di Firenze, education goes far beyond the classroom. It lives in the city, its culture, and its people. This new partnership among Pistoia Basket, Accademia Europea di Firenze, and Elon University captures that spirit perfectly, uniting education, sport, and culture in a way that celebrates the values of collaboration, creativity, and discovery at the heart of AEF’s mission.
