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Annabelle had always dreamt of travelling to Italy. At ACU, she got her chance

Endless gelato, late summer evenings and the opportunity to study amid the history and landmarks of one of the world's most famous cities - welcome to ACU Rome.

When Annabelle Donoghue landed in Italy, it was a travel experience she'd been imagining for years.

But the two weeks she spent in Rome were more than just an opportunity to see one of the world's great cities - they were also a chance to gain academic credit towards her ACU degree.

This is the magic of ACU Rome Campus, a collection of learning and residential environments that are just a short walk from some of the city's most historic sites. Eligible ACU students can apply to study in Rome as part of their degree program, choosing between a semester-long program or an intensive study abroad experience of 1-3 subjects.

For Annabelle, who completed Justice and Change in a Global World, one of ACU's Core Curriculum units, the choice to study just one subject meant she had plenty of opportunities to explore everything Rome had to offer.

"It was an incredible experience - a good mix of study, immersion and culture," says Annabelle, who lived in on-campus student housing where she became part of a tight-knit community.

A typical day included a few hours spent sightseeing in the morning, an afternoon lecture, and then late afternoon group activities with other ACU students. The early evenings were often spent in the campus common room or on the rooftop terrace, studying and catching up on the events of the day.

Being immersed in Italian culture gave Annabelle the chance to improve her Italian language. Besides enjoying Rome's delicious gelato, especially the lemon, hazelnut, and pistachio flavours, Annabelle also loved wandering through the city's streets.

As a group, they visited the local Trastevere and Monteverde communities and night markets close to the Rome Campus. The cultural visits to the Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, and the United Nations World Food Bank Programme were amazing.

The experience increased her sense of cultural awareness and made her feel more confident about connecting with people from different backgrounds.

Course content took a similarly international perspective, challenging Annabelle and her peers to think about their role as part of a global network with enormous power to drive change.

"One of the key themes was collective action, so the power of collaboration and teamwork in achieving common goals. Each action we make, big or small, does have lasting impacts," she says.

"We learnt that whatever meaningful actions we make, if repeated worldwide, make an enormous impact on communities both locally and globally."

"We also explored the idea of integral ecology, the interconnectedness between all things people and the environment."

The trip was made possible by funding support from the ACU Vice-Chancellor and President's Learning Abroad Grant, and guidance from ACU staff in both Australia and Italy made the experience feel seamless, Annabelle says.

And, while two weeks may sound brief, Annabelle crammed enough living and learning into her time in Rome to transform her degree experience - and her future career.

"I've learned so much, even just about myself and about the world around me that I really know I can apply to future practice," she says.

"It's a great opportunity and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering it -just do it!"

Learn more about ACU's Rome campus and what it offers here