SDG 4 – Quality education
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SDG 4 – Quality education

IULM is proud of its strong attachment to its community and to the opportunities it offers to its students and to the wider community for lifelong learning. The university is committed to a comprehensive set of measures to further enhance the quality education and lifelong learning opportunities it offers in all respects. These include the following lifelong learning measures:



Università IULM guarantees free and open access to educational and cultural resources for those not studying at the university and members of the public, in line with its mission to promote lifelong learning and community engagement.

This principle is embedded in the Strategic Plan 2025–2027, which identifies the Third Mission as a core pillar dedicated to “disseminating knowledge, fostering civic participation, and making education accessible beyond the student community.” It is reinforced by the Statute, which safeguards citizens’ right to participate in educational and cultural life, by the IULM Code of Ethics - ensuring equality, respect, and non-discrimination - and by the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which promotes inclusive access to learning opportunities.

Free Educational Resources and Open Initiatives (2025)

1. Library and Digital Resources

  • Library Access: External users may freely access and borrow materials (up to three volumes) and take part in open literary events and exhibitions.
  • Apeiron Repository: Open-access database hosting IULM’s scholarly publications since 2000, sharing its Research output with the wider community.
  • IULM Library Catalogue and Databases: the IULM Library provides access to a broad range of bibliographic and digital information resources, including databases and newspaper resources, supporting access to educational and cultural content.

2. IULM Flow Talks

  • IULM Flow Talks – a public series of webinars featuring international experts, aimed at promoting global awareness and combating misinformation.

3. Public Courses, Workshops, and Schools (2025)

In 2025, IULM offered a range of educational activities open to members of the public and to learners beyond the enrolled student population, including free courses, workshops and educational programmes:

  • IULM for the City 2025 – a programme of free educational activities open to citizens, connecting university teaching and expertise with the wider community.
  • TOP – Tutoring Online Project 2025 – an online tutoring and educational support programme extending IULM's educational activities beyond the university community and supporting school students through academic guidance and tutoring.
  • Progetto Licei – an educational outreach programme involving IULM and secondary schools, bringing university teaching and expertise directly to high-school students and supporting their educational development and orientation.
  • Junior Winter School 2025 – a free educational programme for high-school students, with online lectures delivered by IULM lecturers across several academic and professional fields.
  • La strategia della parola – a public cycle of educational meetings focused on language, communication and contemporary culture.
  • Workshop dei Mestieri della Comunicazione – an educational workshop introducing participants to professional and educational pathways in communication.
  • Junior Summer School 2025 – a free educational programme for high-school students combining university lectures and interactive workshops.
  • Graduate Summer School 2025 – an educational programme offering postgraduate-level learning opportunities and lectures.
  • Lezione aperta sul benessere organizzativo – an open educational lecture addressing organisational wellbeing.
  • IULM hosts the BTP General Sessions – educational sessions hosted at IULM bringing together participants and experts in an open learning and discussion environment.
  • Enterprise-Grade Localization 101 – a specialist educational workshop addressing contemporary practices in localisation and language services.

4. Cultural and Artistic Engagement

IULM also makes educational and cultural knowledge accessible to the wider community through public cultural and artistic activities:

In 2025, these activities were complemented by exhibitions and cultural projects including:

5. Public Events and Conferences (2025)

In 2025, IULM organised numerous free events and public educational initiatives, including conferences, lectures, seminars, workshops and cultural events, providing opportunities for members of the wider community to engage with university professors, researchers, professionals and invited experts.

Examples include:

Through these initiatives, IULM makes university knowledge, educational opportunities and cultural resources accessible beyond its enrolled student population, supporting lifelong learning, public engagement and community education.

Università IULM hosts events at university that are open to the general public, including public lectures, community educational events, and actively promotes lifelong learning and civic participation by hosting public lectures and community educational events that are freely accessible to the wider public.

In 2025, IULM hosted 209 events open to the general public, attracting a total of 35,146 participants. These events included public lectures, conferences, cultural dialogues, seminars, educational activities and artistic initiatives, providing opportunities for members of the wider community to engage directly with academics, researchers, professionals, artists, writers and other experts.

This commitment is embedded in the Strategic Plan 2025–2027, which identifies the Third Mission as a strategic priority: “to disseminate knowledge, strengthen the relationship between university and society, and support the cultural, social and professional growth of the community.” All initiatives follow the guiding principles of the Statute and the IULM Code of Ethics, ensuring inclusiveness, equality, and non-discrimination.

Public Lectures and Cultural Dialogues

In 2025, IULM hosted a wide range of public lectures, conferences, cultural dialogues, seminars and artistic events open to citizens and the wider community. These initiatives provided opportunities for members of the public to engage directly with academics, researchers, professionals, artists, writers and other experts, transforming the university campus into a space for open learning, discussion and cultural exchange.

Key examples from 2025 include:

Public Cultural and Knowledge Events

IULM's public engagement in 2025 also extended to cultural initiatives that brought academic expertise, artistic production and contemporary debates to a wider audience.

Examples include:

Public Engagement, Debate and Civic Participation

IULM also uses public events to promote critical thinking, civic participation and dialogue on contemporary social issues, bringing university expertise into conversations relevant to the wider community.

Examples include:

Through these public lectures, conferences, cultural encounters and community events, IULM transforms academic expertise into accessible public knowledge, fostering lifelong learning, critical thinking, cultural participation and civic dialogue. By opening its campus and intellectual resources to citizens, professionals, students, graduates and other external audiences, IULM strengthens its role as a civic and cultural hub for the wider community.

Università IULM as a body hosts educational events at university that are open to the general public, including executive education programmes and vocational training, and designs and delivers free or publicly accessible educational initiatives aimed at enhancing professional and cultural competencies in communication, languages, the arts, and social innovation.

This approach is rooted in the Strategic Plan 2025–2027, which defines the Third Mission as a core pillar: “to open the University to society through training, research and cultural initiatives that foster professional skills, promote civic participation, and support lifelong learning.”

It is further supported by the Statute — guaranteeing citizens’ right to educational and cultural access — and by the IULM Code of Ethics (Arts. 1–3), which ensures equality, inclusion, and social responsibility in all learning activities.

Professional Training and Continuing Education

In 2025, IULM placed particular emphasis on continuing professional education, using its academic expertise to provide professionals, practitioners, teachers and members of different professional communities with opportunities to develop and update their knowledge and skills. These activities connected university teaching and expertise with real-world professional contexts, particularly in communication, cultural industries, languages, education and creative professions.

Key 2025 initiatives included:

  • ThyssenKrupp: Executive Coaching and Management Training – this corporate training and consultancy project was designed for the company's senior management team and delivered in two phases. The first involved designing an experiential coaching session, incorporating practical exercises and collective reflection, on emotional intelligence and its application in professional and managerial contexts. The second phase implemented the coaching programme over two days, totalling 16 hours. The initiative aimed to strengthen managers' ability to understand and regulate emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses and to improve their interpersonal relationship-management skills.
  • CERC – Convivio – a professional development initiative bringing together academic and professional perspectives around leadership, communication and contemporary organisational challenges.
  • Masterclass “Tutte le storie sono la stessa storia” – a professional masterclass offering participants the opportunity to learn directly from an established practitioner and to explore storytelling, communication and professional practice.
  • Confini di carta – an educational initiative connecting professional and cultural expertise with contemporary issues in literature, communication and cultural production.
  • Enterprise Grade Localization 101 – a specialised professional training activity focused on localisation and the development of competencies relevant to language and communication professionals.
  • Round Tables on Arabic Language Teaching in Italy – a professional and educational initiative addressing language teaching, involving stakeholders from the education system and supporting the development of competencies and approaches for Arabic-language education in Italy.
  • Teacher Training Courses – dedicated professional development activities for teachers, enabling education professionals to update and strengthen their competencies and bringing IULM's expertise in communication, languages, culture and education into the wider school system.

Together, these activities demonstrate IULM's commitment to lifelong learning and continuous professional development, extending university expertise beyond formal degree programmes and responding to the evolving competency needs of professionals and practitioners, including those working in education.

Executive Education Programmes

In parallel with its free community training, IULM offers a comprehensive range of Executive Education Programmes for professionals, managers, and entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their skills in communication, management, and cultural industries.

These are fee-based, accredited programmes, delivered through the IULM Executive Education Division, which ensures academic excellence, industry relevance, and applied outcomes.

Executive Education Offerings:

  • Executive Courses – short, intensive programmes in Strategic Communication, Digital Transformation, Brand Management, Public Speaking, and Sustainability Management.
  • Executive Programmes – multi-module professional courses in Corporate Communication, Leadership and Innovation, Cultural Management, Luxury Marketing, and International Business Strategy.

Broader Lifelong-Learning Opportunities

Professional development is complemented by a broader ecosystem of accessible educational opportunities aimed at different stages of the learning life cycle.

These include the TOP – Tutoring Online Program 2025, Junior Winter School 2025, Junior Summer School 2025 and Graduate Summer School 2025. These initiatives provide structured educational experiences for different target groups, from secondary-school students to graduates and other learners.

The Progetto Licei further strengthens IULM's relationship with secondary schools by providing educational, orientation and skills-development activities for high-school students. This initiative contributes to the University's broader educational outreach by connecting secondary education with higher education and supporting students in their educational pathways.

The IULM for the City 2025 programme further extends this model to the general public, making university knowledge and expertise accessible through open educational activities and public engagement.

IULM also provides international and cross-cultural learning opportunities through IULM International Week 2025, as well as open expert-led educational activities such as IULM Flow Talk 57.

Overall, IULM's 2025 activities demonstrate a multi-level lifelong-learning model, with a particularly strong focus on professional development and the continuous updating of competencies. Through specialised professional training, teacher development programmes, executive education, school outreach, online tutoring and summer schools, IULM extends learning opportunities beyond conventional degree education and supports the principle of education throughout the life course..

Università IULM actively undertakes educational outreach activities beyond campus, including voluntary student-run schemes, demonstrating a continuous commitment to promoting education, cultural participation, and lifelong learning within the wider community.
This mission is rooted in the Strategic Plan 2025–2027, which identifies the Third Mission as a pillar to “open the University to society through education and training activities that foster inclusion, participation, and the dissemination of knowledge.”
These initiatives reach schools, educators, and citizens beyond the university, supporting educational development through both in-person and online formats.

Key Outreach Initiatives in 2025

1. Teacher Training Courses and Progetto Licei

IULM has continued to strengthen its direct collaboration with local and national schools through educational outreach initiatives dedicated to teachers and high-school students.

  • The Teacher Training Courses offer continuous professional development in communication, media literacy, digital culture, and educational innovation. These courses provide opportunities for teachers to update their skills and promote the exchange of pedagogical and methodological practices.
  • The Progetto Licei brings IULM's educational expertise into secondary schools, providing orientation, educational and skills-development activities for high-school students.

These programmes foster strong partnerships between IULM and schools, bridging academic and pre-university education and supporting educational development among younger generations.

2. IULM for the City 2025

As part of its Third Mission activities, IULM continued the initiative IULM for the City 2025, a series of free public lectures and discussions designed to bring university research, knowledge and cultural debate to the wider community.

The initiative reinforces IULM’s goal of transforming the university into a space for public learning and a catalyst for cultural participation, making academic expertise accessible to citizens beyond the university community.

3. Voluntary Student-Run Educational Outreach

IULM promotes voluntary student-run educational outreach, giving students an active role in supporting learning and educational inclusion beyond the university.

  • The TOP – Tutoring Online Project 2025 engages IULM students in providing online tutoring and mentoring to younger students. Through this peer-to-peer model, student volunteers contribute to academic support, orientation and knowledge sharing, helping to extend educational opportunities beyond the physical university campus.
  • The Volunteers for Education initiative further involves IULM students in voluntary educational and community-oriented activities, enabling them to contribute directly to educational outreach and the dissemination of knowledge.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate IULM's commitment to student-led educational outreach, with students acting not only as beneficiaries of higher education but also as active contributors to the educational development and inclusion of others. They promote peer-to-peer learning, civic engagement, social responsibility and a shared sense of educational responsibility.

4. Translation and Language Outreach

IULM's translation and linguistic studies centres continued to contribute to educational outreach through initiatives promoting intercultural communication and professional language education.

These activities demonstrate IULM's contribution to applied linguistic education and its ability to connect university expertise with wider educational and professional communities.

5. IULM Flow Talks

The IULM Flow Talks are a series of free webinars connecting global experts, students and wider audiences in discussions about communication, sustainability, international affairs and contemporary challenges.

In 2025, the series included IULM Flow Talk 57, continuing IULM's use of digital platforms to disseminate knowledge beyond the campus. Each session provides an accessible format through which members of the public can engage with academic and professional expertise.

6. Junior Summer and Winter Schools

IULM's  Junior Summer School 2025 and Junior Winter School 2025 provide interactive learning experiences to high-school students who wish to explore university disciplines in communication, arts, tourism, languages and related fields.

These schools aim to demystify university study, encourage educational aspirations and help students develop skills aligned with future academic and professional pathways.

Through these activities, IULM combines institution-led educational outreach with student-led volunteering, peer-to-peer tutoring, school partnerships and digitally accessible learning. Together, these initiatives demonstrate the University's commitment to extending education beyond its formal student body and campus, fostering lifelong learning, social inclusion, civic participation and the wider dissemination of knowledge.

Università IULM has a formal institutional framework ensuring that access to lifelong-learning and educational activities is based on principles of equality, inclusion and non-discrimination, regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, immigration status, nationality, age, gender or socio-economic background.

This commitment is now embedded in the Strategic Plan 2025–2027, the University's current institutional planning framework. The Plan was formally developed through a process that included the assessment of objectives and critical issues identified through the University's periodic accreditation process and through feedback collected from students and teaching staff, followed by the formulation of new objectives responding to changes in the social, cultural and economic context. It was subsequently shared with the University's governing bodies, assessed for feasibility and sustainability, formally approved by the academic bodies and implemented.

The Strategic Plan therefore provides the current policy framework for the University's activities during 2025–2027, replacing reliance on a previous planning cycle and embedding equality, inclusion, participation and social responsibility within the University's broader institutional development.

This framework is reinforced by three key institutional instruments:

  • the IULM Code of Ethics, which establishes principles of equality, respect and non-discrimination and prohibits discriminatory or harassing behaviour;
  • the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which translates the University's equality principles into measures concerning gender equality and the university environment;
  • and the IULM Statute, which establishes the University's institutional principles and safeguards participation in its educational and cultural life.

Principles of Equality and Non-Discrimination

The IULM Code of Ethics provides the University's core framework for equal treatment and non-discrimination.

Article 3 prohibits discrimination on grounds including ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, nationality, political or sexual orientation and immigration status. It also condemns forms of physical, verbal and psychological harassment and establishes the principle that members of the University community are entitled to a safe, respectful and supportive environment.

These principles provide the basis for participation in educational, cultural and public-engagement activities and are particularly relevant to IULM's Third Mission and lifelong-learning activities, which extend educational opportunities beyond the University's enrolled student population.

Equal Opportunities and Diversity Governance

The implementation of equality and inclusion principles is supported by dedicated institutional governance through the Equal Opportunities Committee.

The Committee operates under the Rector's supervision and contributes to preventing discrimination, promoting equal opportunities and fostering an inclusive university environment.

Its activities include:

  • preventing and countering discrimination and harassment;
  • supporting individuals who experience discriminatory or harmful behaviour;
  • promoting work-life balance and welfare measures that facilitate participation in university life;
  • monitoring equality-related aspects of teaching, research and recruitment;
  • and promoting awareness through training, research and cultural initiatives addressing equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion.

This governance structure complements the policy framework established by the Strategic Plan 2025–2027 and the Gender Equality Plan, providing an institutional mechanism through which equality principles can be implemented and monitored.

Accessibility and Support for Participation

IULM also supports equal access through dedicated structures and services for members of the university community who may face barriers to participation.

As documented in IULM's sustainability and SDG reporting, the University has dedicated governance and support structures addressing diversity, equity, inclusion, disability, equal opportunities and the right to study. These include the DiversaMENTE Office, which provides tailored support for students with disabilities and special educational needs, as well as dedicated tutoring and support measures. The University also provides mentoring, counselling and peer-support initiatives for potentially underrepresented groups.

These mechanisms strengthen the practical application of the University's equality principles by addressing not only formal non-discrimination but also barriers that may prevent individuals from fully participating in educational and university life.

Inclusive Access to Lifelong-Learning Activities

The University's equality framework applies to the broad range of educational and cultural activities delivered as part of its Third Mission and lifelong-learning mission.

In 2025, IULM provided educational opportunities for external audiences through initiatives including:

These activities demonstrate the practical application of IULM's institutional commitment to inclusive educational access, reaching different groups including teachers, school students, graduates, professionals, citizens and learners participating through online formats.

Commitment for 2025–2027

The adoption of the Strategic Plan 2025–2027 provides a particularly important institutional basis for the current reporting period. Rather than relying solely on historical equality commitments, IULM has established a new three-year strategic framework, formally approved by its academic governance bodies and designed in response to identified institutional needs and changes in the wider social, cultural and economic environment.

Within this framework, equality, inclusion, accessibility and participation are supported by the University's Code of Ethics, Gender Equality Plan, Statute, Equal Opportunities Committee and dedicated student-support structures.

Together, these mechanisms demonstrate that IULM's commitment to inclusive lifelong learning is not limited to individual initiatives, but is supported by a current institutional policy framework, dedicated governance structures and practical support mechanisms designed to enable broad and equitable participation in educational and cultural activities.