ASP Winter School: studying to create innovation and social impact

A highly educational experience that allowed students to explore the bond between technological innovation, social challenges and analysis of the fields of applied research, providing them a background full of starting points to critically evaluate real consequences.

All of this was the Winter School The Intangible Matter of Places: Impact and Innovation Commons addressed to the XIX cycle of the Alta Scuola Politecnica (ASP), a joint two-year path for 150 outstanding students from Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino.

The initiative took place from 18^th to 22^nd of March in Bardonecchia, sponsored by the local Municipality, at Palazzo delle Feste and Villaggio Olimpico. Students were given the opportunity to learn, compare and work in multidisciplinary teams aimed at enhancing the university experience.

The School, coordinated by Professor Mario Calderini, required participants to design shared commons and intangible infrastructures with potential for social and environmental impact through innovation.

Through discussion, confrontation and brainstorming, experience on the field of applied research, students managed to analyze topics related to Innovation Districts, Sustainability and Impact Measurement and Management, applied to group work on practical scenarios and industrial trends giving them the opportunity to apply their newly acquired skills.

In conjunction with the group work, one lecture given by Veronica Vecchi on the impact of public-private partnerships and one seminar held by Luca Torelli on the case of Essilor Luxottica in the transition to Industry 5.0 provided valuable insights into real-world applications and industry trends, improving the participants' understanding of the topic.

Lastly, ASP Alumni gave a speech about their personal experience as former students and introduced the topic of doctoral studies in STEM.

To this initiative took part also 30 students from the Politecnico di Torino enrolled in the final year of the Percorso Intraprendenti. Moreover, a selected group of students from the TU Delft University- international partner of the ASP project- were involved in the Winter School, thus creating working groups characterized by a variety of cultures and skills.