There they had the great opportunity to first visit the company owned and run by the family of ICM alumnus Marco Alberti, to interview him and then to visit the city centre of Udine. This immersive experience was designed to deepen the student’s understanding of Italian culture, together with first-hand business practice and the importance of legacy in both academic and professional contexts.
Company visit and interview with Marco Alberti in San Daniele del Friuli
On the 13th of June the ICM second semester-students attending the course “Italiano 2A: Io e il mio mondo” (the very same group who already took part in the entrepreneurs’ interview experience in the first semester of the program) left Villach train station early in the morning to reach San Daniele del Friuli, a small town in the Friuli region near the border. Led by Italian lecturer Elisa Borella, they had the chance to visit “La Casa del Prosciutto Alberti 1906”, a local family-run company famous for its exquisite and quality certified San Daniele prosciutto production.
“La Casa del Prosciutto Alberti 1906”, owned and operated for generations by the family of Marco Alberti, Alumnus of our very own School of Management and ICM program, provided a unique opportunity for our current students to witness the practical application of their studies and to get inspiration from an outstanding member of our ICM community.
Our students from Slovenia, Bulgaria, South Africa, Angola and Russia had in fact the privilege to follow Marco’s detailed multilingual explanation (in Italian and in English) about the process of prosciutto making during their company visit and to interview him, gaining valuable insights into the company's rich history, operational strategies and few secrets behind its success. The interaction offered also a first-hand understanding of how mindset, values, knowledge and know-how gained while attending the ICM program can be effectively applied in the everyday life while running a real business. “Ho imparato a mettermi nei panni degli altri” clarifies Marco “e adesso il mio obiettivo è espandere le vendite all’estero. Per vendere di più all’estero, però, devo conoscere bene i mercati e per conoscere bene i mercati, devo partire dalle persone. Tutte queste cose le ho imparate lavorando qua in azienda, ma il programma ICM mi ha dato l’apertura mentale per entrare in profondità nella cultura delle altre persone. Se guardi solo i dati delle vendite, non è abbastanza. Al giorno d’oggi devi capire davvero i bisogni dei clienti, andando oltre quello che già pensavamo di sapere di loro”, a lesson on how important it is nowadays to put ourselves in others’ shoes and go beyond cultural biases to better meet the needs of markets and customers.
In addition to the interview, the students also enjoyed a tasting of the company's products as well as a further explanation on it provided by Marco. This extra gastronomic experience not only delighted the palates but also helped the students get in touch with the cultural background of Italian social dimension, where lots of importance is given to high quality food production and consumption in a group setting.
Additional remarks: Exploring Udine, Preparing and Reflecting in class
After greeting Marco and his family, the daily field trip also included a visit to Udine, where our students presented brief overviews of the city’s historical landmarks: the cathedral, the Gallerie del Tiepolo, the Castle, the Loggia del Lionello, Piazza della Libertà and Piazza Giacomo Matteotti. This activity helped the group connect with the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of the city. In fact, Udine finds itself in a bilingual area where both Italian and “friulan” are currently still spoken, after having been the seat of the patriarchs of Aquileia, part of the Republic of Venice as well as the Italian Republic.
The recollection was also part of the follow-up activity that we conducted in class. If, before starting the excursion, the students engaged in preparation activities, learning about the history of the Alberti business and discussing the questions they would have asked during the interview, after returning from Italy, they had the chance to reflect on the content of their experience as well as discuss what inspired them the most. This ensured that they made the most of their interaction with Marco, the multilingual company visit and the walk through Udine city centre, gaining meaningful knowledge and exposure while being immersed in the Italian context.
The inspirational role of Legacy
The concept of legacy especially emerged as a central “red thread” throughout the whole field trip and final reflection. At the company level, legacy is evident in the careful transfer of knowledge, skills, and values from one generation to the next, ensuring the continuity of excellence and innovation, maintaining a company’s prestigious standing in the market.
On the other hand, from the students’ community perspective, the legacy of our alumni plays a crucial role in inspiring and guiding current students towards their future. The success story of Marco serves in fact as a powerful proof to the positive impact of our educational offer at ICM and the potential for our graduates to achieve remarkable success in their fields of interest, as the School of Management motto “Inspiring minds” reminds us.
In conclusion, this field trip to San Daniele and Udine was not just an educational journey to Italy organized as part of the Italian specialization subject. It created in fact a meaningful experience that supported the business core of the Intercultural Management program and highlighted the importance of legacy in shaping both academic and professional paths, leaving a lasting influence on our students and reinforcing the inspirational role of our alumni as active part of the ICM community.
Coordinator and field expert, Senior Lecturer in Italian as foreign language, Dott.ssa mag. Elisa Borella
