“OFFICINA” –concept of the ISAGA Summer School Gaming simulation is by definition an interactive and hybrid technology between theory and practice. During the last decades we came across several examples of “places and times” where this technology had been taught and learned. Those “places and times” were linked with schools, disciplines and personalities. Starting from my experience: I had the opportunitiy to experience and explore some of them – from the Certificate on Gaming Simulation at Michigan University by Dick Duke to the JASAG – Japanese Association Simulation and Gaming. And again each one was strongly influenced by the researcher or group of researchers holding the experience. It was at the beginning of the nineties when I started to design a special seminar on Gaming Simulation (GS) design, facilitation and application, I found that the knowledge of different areas of application, different styles and cultures helped me provide my students an open and rich learning environment. From that I started to dream of a “place and time” where beginners and experts, students and researchers can find a similar “environment”. Suddenly the metaphor of the renaissance “officina” came to my mind. Officina was a place where masters and apprentices could exchange experience, share knowledge and embark on their own voyage of discovery. It was a place where apprentices were the active element of the evolution of their knowledge; a place where it was possible to find co-teaching and co-learning at the same time. It was such a place like officina which brought about innovation and diffusion of knowledge.I used this concept to design my workshops and courses on GS design, as well as facilitation for urban planning, international relationship, cross- and inter-cultural understanding, conflict and negotiation, team building and working for management and business etc. It was in 1997 when I, together with Willy Kriz who used a similar approach in part of his courses at the VIU (Venice International University) and LMU (Munich University) , started to think of establishing an annual international summer school under the auspices ISAGA. Our aims were to bring together “masters” from different areas of GS, as well as students and professionals who want to use GS in a place where each master could transmit their vision of the theoretical founds of GS to the learners, and guide the latter through the learning experience. All the processes are compressed in one week: from theory to practical results trough a presentation of a prototype of a GS or facilitation of GS. Thanks to the active participation of teachers and the students, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ISAGA International Summer Schools 2004 in Munich, 2005 in Krakow and 2006 in Dornbirn were a great success. I hope and believe that the 4th International Summer School this year in Venezia, as well as the forthcoming ones in the future, is and will be a useful and important moment for personal enrichment for each of the participants, if not an unforgettable experience. ~ Prof. Dr. Paola Rizzi Director of ISAGA Summer School