3.4.2 The case of Italy

As in the rest of Europe, in Italy, too, many universities have begun to take action to promote the inclusion of refugees and to join various European and non-European projects that offer refugee students opportunities and scholarships.
One of the best-known instruments is the so-called ‘Buddy Programme’, in which many Italian universities participate, such as the Politecnico of Milan and the University of Bozen. Through Buddy programmes refugee students are placed in universities as extracurricular students and, for this reason, they do not need any legal document to attend courses and nor do they have to have language skills; also, they can choose a subject of their interest.
Another important project in which many universities are participating is Scholar at Risk (SAR). The SAR network was founded during a Human Rights Programme at the University of Chicago with the aim of defending the principles of academic freedom and protecting the human rights of scholars around the world. In February 2019 SAR was launched at the University of Padova and Trento; since then sixteen universities have joined the project, including the University of Siena.
A really relevant Italian best practice is “Unibo for Refugees-The University of Bologna Supports the Right to Study”. This project was launched in 2015, when the Academic Senate of the University of Bologna, at the invitation of the European Commission, decided to develop forms of integration for students forced to interrupt their studies as a result of armed conflict or persecution in their native country. The University approved measures that allowed students requesting international protection to enrol at the University of Bologna with no tuition fees.
The programme is open not only to students with a residence permit for “Political Asylum” or “Humanitarian Asylum”, but also to those in possession of a permit for “Waiting for Political Asylum” or something similar. The University has established five scholarships for students enrolling at Bologna’s Alma Mater who have obtained international or humanitarian protection. In addition, many other Italian universities also operate a tuition-fee free policy.
Another example of Italian best practices is the so-called Humanitarian Corridors. These are transfer and integration programmes for migrants in particularly vulnerable circumstances that represent a safe and legal way for asylum seekers to enter Italy. Following these programmes, in 2019 a new project called UniCoRe (University Corridors for Refugees) was launched. It was promoted by Italian universities with the support of the UNHCR, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Caritas Italiana, Diaconia Valdese, Centro Astalli and other partners.
The test phase of the project was launched in 2019 and involved only two universities and six students. The positive outcome allowed the project to continue, with second and third versions being developed. The second version was held in 2020 and involved twenty refugee students from Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Eritrea who are attending degree courses in eleven universities. In March 2021 the third version was announced, in which twenty-four universities and forty-three students will participate.
Students will be selected on their academic merit and motivation, with the aim of increasing their opportunities to continue their higher education in Italy through scholarships.
These are just some of the many opportunities of inclusion that Italian universities are offering to refugee students and other beneficiaries of international protection.