AIS: Association of Italian Slavists

The Association of Italian Slavists (AIS) is a free association of scholars with the aim to facilitate the progress of Slavic studies by creating a strong network connecting the individuals, study centres, foreign and Italian institutes that deal with the Slavic world, both on the national and on the international level.

The members of the Association are experts in the various Slavic disciplines - proof of their scientific activity being provided by published works or teaching commitments - and academics or university professors with an interest in the Slavic world from different aspects. It is in this perspective that AIS takes care, keeping in touch with CUN and other associations belonging to the same area, of the position and development of the teaching of Slavic disciplines within the Italian university system on the national level.

AIS promotes and supports initiatives and publications covering the various fields connected with Slavic studies; in particular it publishes the journal Studi Slavistici and edits the related series of monographs. Every five years, AIS organizes its own National Congress of Slavic Studies (the last one was held at Udine in September 2006). It is promoting, together with IECOB, the Portal on Central-Eastern Europe and the Balkans (PECOB).

As a permanent member of the International Committee of Slavists, the body in charge of organizing the International Conferences of Slavists (held on a regular basis every five years in one of the Slavic countries), AIS keeps in close touch with the other European and extra-European national associations of Slavic studies. Furthermore, AIS cooperates with the International Council for Central and East European Studies.

AIS takes part in or supports initiatives concerning the literature, culture, arts, history, politics and economy of the Slavic countries.