Toniolo (Unipd-Galileiana): "ME.MO. is a strategic engine that enhances human capital."

The ME.MO. project confirms its role as a strategic driver for social mobility and the development of human capital, establishing a structured program that, for this edition, began in November. The initial phase saw tutors from the Galileiana School travel directly to schools in various regions to meet with participating students. This initial contact was followed by the second phase of the program, which focused on three residential days in Padua, part of a training program that will subsequently continue with a group meeting, likely at the Sant'Anna High School in Pisa. The entire experience thus engages deserving young people in their penultimate year of high school, whose parents do not have a university degree. The University of Padua is hosting the initiative for the second time, welcoming eighty fourth-year students from Umbria, Calabria, and Lombardy. The group stands out for its diverse backgrounds, ranging from technical institutes to high schools, offering participants a valuable platform for networking with peers from diverse backgrounds. This was the speech by Federica Toniolo, deputy director of the Galileiana School at the University of Padua, during the press conference held June 9-11 to mark the presentation of the ME.MO. – Merit and Social Mobility project: a three-day residential internship for students from across Italy. 

"The university's organizational machinery," he explains, "has been in action since November, involving faculty and laboratories to welcome students and allow them to experience three days of immersion in the university world, a context these young people often consider beyond their reach. The ministerial investments in the project are aimed precisely at raising the cultural level and spirit of initiative of bright students from less affluent backgrounds, where university guidance is not a priority. These are young people who, despite achieving excellent academic results, are reluctant to continue their studies or are intimidated by barriers to education or financial difficulties. Last year's data confirm the effectiveness of the measure, with excellent results in terms of enrollment, not necessarily at the University of Padua but across the wider university system."  

"In this scenario," Toniolo states, "the orientation days are crucial for illustrating the support tools available, such as the benefits of the Galilean School, which offers room and board, and the numerous right-to-education initiatives active in Padua to support undergraduate and graduate programs. The central objective is to bridge the information gap, allowing students to know who to turn to and learn about the opportunities offered by Italian public universities. The coordination team, headed by a professor of medieval art history and a physics professor, will oversee the planning of activities starting in the fall. The promoters intend to continue this commitment next year, supporting the Ministry's decision to invest in the progress and social standing of the community." He then concludes: "The project aims to offer a concrete future prospect to young people who, like some students from technical institutes, express a desire to enroll in courses such as computer engineering but are unsure of their abilities, thus combining the promotion of the university with the overcoming of participants' personal uncertainties." 

(Adnkronos)