The provincial government approved the deal on the proposal of Health Councilor Hubert Messner, formalizing a partnership among the province, the university, and the Claudiana university training center that had run as a pilot since the 2024/25 academic year.
The Pilot That Earned a Permanent Spot
The courses launched in the program’s first year and proved themselves, according to news.provinz.bz.it. “We started the language courses as a pilot project and had good experiences with them,” Messner said in a statement carried by the outlet. “That’s why we’re securing the offering long-term now.”
The program itself began in the 2024/25 academic year. Classes are taught in English, but the mandatory clinical internships take place in South Tyrolean hospitals, where German and Italian dominate direct contact with patients.
How the Courses Work
The university’s language center organizes the courses, aiming for a B2 level in either German or Italian. Depending on prior knowledge, students can use the offering for up to three years. Starting in the second year of study, medical students join existing university language courses; dedicated courses can be arranged if needed. Participation is free of charge.
Claudiana informs students about the courses and coordinates their timing with the medical curriculum, while the province oversees and coordinates the overall collaboration, according to the provincial announcement.
Why Language Skills Matter for Patient Care
Messner framed the requirement as a matter of care quality. “Anyone who studies medicine in South Tyrol and wants to work here later as a doctor must be able to communicate with people in the provincial languages,” he said. “That belongs to good, patient-centered care.” Strong language skills also ease later medical practice in the province, the announcement notes.
Funding Runs Through 2028 Without New Money
The agreement covers the period from 2026 to 2028.
Questions Students Still Ask
What level do students need to reach? The target is B2 in German or Italian, according to the provincial announcement.
How long can students take the courses? Depending on their prior knowledge, the offering can be used for up to three years.
What does it cost? Nothing. Participation is free, news.provinz.bz.it confirmed.
The decision converts a one-year experiment into a standing commitment, tying the future of Bolzano’s English-taught medical graduates to the two languages their patients actually speak.
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