The Strategic Plan PoliTOinTransition aims to create conditions for inclusion, equity and hospitality in order to allow:
- foreign students, who are already part of the University community but are at risk of withdrawing because of objective difficulties (loss of residence permit, visa, status, residence, poverty), to be supported to start/ resume their studies and life in our city;
- the most promising human resources residing in developing Countries and/ or with refugee status, asylum seekers and migrants to access and study/ work at PoliTo (metropolitan headquarters or future hubs in other Countries) and to express their potential as part of an academic and territorial community that offers them organized and easily accessible services in terms of cost and clarity of procedures
To achieve this goal, Politecnico has signed - together with more than 35 Italian universities including the Università di Torino, the Università del Piemonte Orientale and the Università di Scienze Gastronomiche - the Manifesto of the Inclusive University promoted by UNHCR to ensure better living conditions to refugees and asylum seekers who have been welcomed in Piemonte.
Who is a refugee or refugee-like person?
- People who have been found to be refugees by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, agency of the United Nations);
- People who have suffered persecution in their country of nationality or usual residence;
- People who have been subjected to substantial discrimination and human rights abuses in their country of nationality or usual residence.
For a detailed definition please refer directly to UNHCR and to the webpage “Protezione internazionale” of the Italian Ministry of the Interior.
In 2022 four Piedmontese Universities have launched the PIU-AEI - Piemonte Università Accoglienti Eque Inclusive project in order to create an active network of institutional actors and the Civic Sector of Piedmont - City of Turin, City of Vercelli, City of Bra, Piedmont Region, EDISU, IRES Piedmont, Turin Prefecture, Turin Police Headquarters, Vercelli Prefecture, Vercelli Police Headquarters, Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, Ufficio Pio Foundation, CRT Foundation, CRC Foundation, UPM-Migrant Pastoral Office.
The project aims to identify and guide policies, and to develop shared strategies and initiatives that can both strengthen what already exists and provide coordinated responses where gaps remain. Its purpose is to create conditions that can, at least in part, mitigate the hardship experienced by individuals who are refugees, asylum seekers, or coming from countries and territories marked by fragile socio‑economic or political situations, or who receive limited protection and support in Italy. Attention is specifically devoted to refugee women, asylum seekers, and refugee‑like individuals, as their rights are especially at risk.
The PIU-AEI Network PoliTo brings together people from Departments and specific administrative units of the Politecnico, with the aim of providing coordinated support to students who, for various reasons, find themselves in vulnerable situations during their international academic journey at the Politecnico di Torino.