SDG 5 – Gender Equality

Università IULM is committed to the systematic measurement and tracking of the application rate, acceptance rate and entry rate of women as the foundation of its consistent efforts to provide a first-class education to women in all of its study areas.

In 2024, the university strengthened this process by introducing two major innovations.
First, IULM began to track the participation of non-traditional women students, including students over 30, thereby expanding the scope of its monitoring and ensuring that women pursuing higher education at different stages of life are fully represented. Second, in line with the objectives of the IULM Gender Equality Plan, the university introduced a systematic comparison of data against the previous academic year. This additional measure allows IULM to monitor year-on-year changes, assess the effectiveness of its policies and initiatives, and respond promptly with targeted actions whenever emerging gaps are detected.

The table below indicates the percentage and proportion of women at all stages and in all possible categories: applicants and entry rates; undergraduate and postgraduate students; graduates; first-generation students; refugee students; students from developing countries; students with disabilities and specific learning disorders; and, newly introduced in 2024, students over 30, exchange students and students on internships.

IULM is committed to the systematic tracking and measurement of women refugee students as a proportion of the overall refugee student body: this is critically important as IULM’s contribution to an urgent global social and economic challenge.

Equally, IULM continues to track and measure women students with disabilities as a proportion of the overall numbers of students with disabilities. IULM considers this measure an essential part of its comprehensive commitment to supporting students with disabilities throughout their studies.

By broadening the range of categories monitored and by embedding longitudinal comparisons into its approach, Università IULM demonstrates its determination to pursue an integrated and evolving strategy for gender equality and inclusion, rooted in systematic evidence and constant evaluation.

IULM’s consistent policy of promoting women’s applications, women’s acceptance and entry rates, and women’s participation at the university is demonstrated by the figures given below.

These positive results demonstrate that Università IULM — through its admissions policy, recruitment strategy, and personalized support mechanisms — is committed to ensuring gender equality among its student population and staff. These actions are promoted through the IULM Gender Equality Plan and the IULM Code of Ethics.

In 2024, the Equal Opportunities Committee appointed a new student representative to ensure ongoing monitoring and advocacy for women’s participation. Moreover IULM’s Delegate for Equal Opportunities, participated in the “Championing Gender Equality: Pathways to Progress” conference. This public event facilitated exchange between the seven Milanese universities collaborating through the Interuniversity Research Center “Gender Cultures”, of which IULM is a founding member. Discussions focused on gender differences affecting career development, actions to close the gender gap, and reflections on progress three years after the adoption of the previous Strategic Plan.

In addition, IULM actively encourages women’s participation in international experiences and career-enhancing opportunities. Through personalized tutoring sessions, the university promotes engagement in exchange programs, internships abroad, and internships in Italy, providing students with practical, professionally-oriented experiences. These initiatives complement the broader support framework that includes mentoring, scholarships, and targeted access programs.

Below are some numbers illustrating the effectiveness of IULM’s policy for women’s applications, acceptance/entry, and participation at the university for the academic year 2023/2024:

In this respect, IULM also promotes specific initiatives dedicated to the participation of women in university life, such as:

• FA-ST – Promote Female Startups in STEM
• ALF Premi Cinema
• Scholarships for economically disadvantaged female students: 81% of the scholarships in 2024 were dedicated to disadvantaged female students

Through these initiatives, IULM not only sustains women’s access and participation but also ensures a structured governance approach and active engagement in national and inter-university networks, demonstrating a comprehensive strategy that combines policy, monitoring, support mechanisms, and practical initiatives.

In addition to these initiatives, Università IULM actively encourages women’s participation through institutional agreements (convenzioni) that provide financial and practical support for students, staff, and their families, particularly benefiting low-income women and mothers. These agreements include:

Childcare and Early Education:

• Cooperativa Sociale ALDIA – nurseries and kindergartens
• MILE Bilingual School – bilingual early education

Mobility and Transportation:

• Pikyrent – electric mobility service
• Trenitalia for Business – train travel discounts
• Wayla – sustainable urban transport service

Healthcare and Wellbeing:

• Centro Medico Politerapico Ribor – multidisciplinary healthcare
• Eurosanità Group – private healthcare facilities
• Humanitas Institute – private healthcare services
• Istituto Auxologico IRCCS – specialized clinics
• IEO – specialized treatments
• Studio Dentistico Crippa – dental services
• Studio Dentistico Minnella – dental services

Through these initiatives and agreements, IULM not only sustains women’s access and participation but also ensures a structured governance approach and active engagement in national and inter-university networks, demonstrating a comprehensive strategy that combines policy, monitoring, support mechanisms, practical initiatives, and external partnerships.

IULM specifically focuses on providing services and schemes for women’s access in several of the most important mentoring and related support programmes made available by the university.

Mentoring

Women students constituted the vast majority of the student participants in the university’s counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and peer support programmes. 78% of the students availing themselves of the counseling opportunities were women; 85% of the students taking part in the peer mentoring schemes were women; 80% of the students participating in the programmes devoted to mental health issues were women.

The above figures demonstrate the importance given by the university to the provision of women access schemes, enabling women students to take full advantage of all the academic and social programmes offered by IULM and to succeed in their university careers. Indeed, Università IULM has always been committed to the fight for gender equality. Several initiatives and projects are promoted by the university to support women throughout their university career, from the admission process to graduation, in order to lay the foundations for a successful professional life.

Overall, women students constituted 78% of the total participants in the seminars, group meetings, and individual interviews addressing student access, student success, and various issues of mental health and wellbeing related to the challenges and difficulties of a university career.

A specifically targeted approach was adopted in the following meetings: “Orienta-menti”, Seminars on Study Methods, Stress Management, and Expectations, and Seminars about a stress-free graduation, reserved to smaller groups of students with the aim of teaching them how to manage stress and deal with obstacles and failure in a healthy way. Once again, the initiative was enthusiastically received by IULM female students, with 80% of the total participants being women. Moreover, women students constituted 78% of the participants in individually targeted interviews with professional psychologists to address and sort out strictly personal issues.

In the same context, in 2024, IULM promoted participation in the Mentorship Milano initiative, a women-focused empowerment and mentoring pathway for young women (18–30) living in the Metropolitan City of Milan. The programme offers a structured shadowing cycle (three meetings over six months) with high-profile women leaders across business, fashion, design, publishing and institutions, helping mentees explore aspirations, receive practical career guidance, and build confidence.

IULM has also taken a strong stance in combatting violence against women in all and any of its manifestations. In 2024, the University concluded an agreement with the Anti-Violence Center Cerchi d'Acqua, establishing a listening channel open to the entire IULM community (students, teaching staff, and technical-administrative staff) to provide qualified support to women involved in situations of mistreatment, abuse, sexual and psychological violence, and stalking. Additionally, IULM collaborates with Ankyra, an association assisting victims of domestic and relational violence of all genders and sexual orientations, providing multidisciplinary support to address and resolve their difficulties.

This framework fits into the initiatives already in place at the University to combat gender-based violence (Area 4 of the IULM Gender Equality Plan), complementing awareness-raising activities with active listening and support mechanisms.

Scholarships

However, IULM’s commitment does not end there: the university actively supports and promotes targeted access to education for women, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. In the 2023/2024 academic year, 81% of scholarships were intentionally awarded to deserving female students, reflecting a strategic decision to enhance women’s access to higher education and ensure equitable opportunities for academic and professional development. These scholarships are part of a broader framework of women-focused access schemes, which include mentoring, tutoring, counseling, and practical support mechanisms.

Financial access schemes

In addition to these programmes, IULM encourages women’s participation through institutional agreements that provide practical and financial support for students, staff, and their families, particularly benefiting low-income women and mothers. These access schemes include:

Childcare and Early Education:

• Cooperativa Sociale ALDIA – nurseries and kindergartens
• MILE Bilingual School – bilingual early education

Mobility and Transportation:

• Pikyrent – electric mobility service
• Trenitalia for Business – train travel discounts
• Wayla – sustainable urban transport service

Healthcare and Wellbeing:

• Centro Medico Politerapico Ribor – multidisciplinary healthcare
• Eurosanità Group – private healthcare facilities
• Humanitas Institute – private healthcare services
• Istituto Auxologico IRCCS – specialized clinics
• IEO – specialized treatments
• Studio Dentistico Crippa – dental services
• Studio Dentistico Minnella – dental services

IULM is committed to encouraging applications by women in subjects where they are comparatively underrepresented:

STEM and AI

In 2024, IULM graduated its second class of students in Artificial Intelligence for Business and Society, with 55% of the total graduates being women. This outcome testifies to the success of IULM’s targeted policy to encourage women to study in these cutting-edge subjects, traditionally male-dominated, through national and regional campaigns. More specifically, IULM organizes Open Days, orientation services, and communication campaigns on the main university channels to promote the course among women students. During one of these presentations, the programme director emphasized the importance of actively reaching out to women students in this innovative study area. This AI programme exemplifies the targeted approach IULM uses to foster women’s applications and participation in underrepresented subjects.

In addition, one of the university’s main STEM research centers, the Behaviour & Brain Lab, currently has 57% female researchers, further demonstrating IULM’s commitment to gender balance in research leadership and innovation. The university also encourages the formation of young female entrepreneurs within these fields.

Screenwriting and Creative Industries

IULM maintains a consistent policy of encouraging women to apply in areas beyond STEM where they are underrepresented. A recent example is the initiative Enhancing Women’s Voices in Cinema and Audiovisuals, specifically in the screenwriting profession, through collaboration with ALF-Pensare Al Femminile. The university sponsors the 2024 Women Screenwriters Award and integrates the initiative into the academic curriculum. Students participate in the selection process for the Best European Film Award “Al Femminile” and produce video essays on the representation of women in films. This initiative is part of the IULM Gender Equality Plan, fostering equal opportunities and promoting women in creative industries.

Sports and Sports Marketing

In traditionally male-dominated areas such as sports and the Master in Sports Marketing and Communication, IULM has successfully encouraged women’s applications and participation. In the sports marketing Masters, for the 2023/2024 academic year students women increased significantly compared to previous editions:

• +100% from first edition (academic year 2017/2018) and
• +40% compared to the 2022/2023 academic year

The University aims to increase this percentage even more for the following editions through enhanced outreach to women applicants.

Moreover, IULM actively encourages all women students to participate in university sports teams. Through IULM Sport, the university has established both male and female teams across all sports, including football, volleyball, and basketball, providing structured opportunities for women to engage in competitive sports, develop leadership and teamwork skills, and enhance their visibility in traditionally male-dominated areas.

Research and Cultural Engagement

In research fields traditionally underrepresented by women, IULM has launched targeted programmes to support women’s participation. Notably, the La Montagna al Femminile project highlights women’s contributions to the cultural, economic, and social development of Alpine territories. This project combines research, exhibitions, and community engagement, providing a platform for women’s voices in both academia and public life.

These initiatives form part of a strategic, university-wide effort identified in the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which prioritizes women’s access to underrepresented fields — spanning technology, creative industries, sports, and research — and integrates policy, outreach, and practical programmes to sustain progress in gender equality across all academic disciplines.

Università IULM has a specific policy of non-discrimination against women, which has evolved over time into a broader and more comprehensive strategy. The IULM Gender Equality Plan (GEP) aims not only at preventing and condemning any form of discrimination against women, but also at fostering a fully inclusive environment that promotes equal participation and representation for women across all dimensions of university life.

This policy is an integral part of IULM’s overall mission, ensuring that a gender perspective is embedded in all internal policies while simultaneously encouraging cultural, educational, and research initiatives to raise awareness on gender equality and inclusion within the university community and in society at large.

The Equal Opportunities Committee supports the implementation of this policy. It acts as a key institutional body dedicated to preventing gender-based discrimination, supporting those who feel discriminated against, and fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for both study and work. Its tasks also include proposing concrete actions to reconcile work-life balance and to eliminate structural inequalities that may hinder women’s academic or professional careers. In 2024, the committee was strengthened with the election of a student representative, ensuring that women students are directly involved in governance processes and that their voices contribute to shaping university policies on equality and inclusion.

In addition, the university’s Strategic Plan explicitly commits IULM to overcoming all forms of discrimination and promoting the equal participation of all members of the university community, independent of gender, socio-economic background, or other categories. By embedding gender equality in its Strategic Plan, IULM ensures that non-discrimination is not only a compliance requirement, but also a core cultural value shaping teaching, research, and community engagement.

The effectiveness of this policy is reinforced by practical measures: IULM supports women students and staff through access schemes such as childcare facilities, healthcare services at subsidized rates, mobility agreements, and economic support programmes.

Finally, IULM is an active member of national and inter-university networks dedicated to gender equality. Since 2013, the university has been a founding member of the  Interuniversity Research Center “Gender Cultures”, which brings together the seven Milanese universities to develop joint research, training, and awareness-raising activities on gender and equal opportunities. Through this participation, IULM contributes to a broader cultural and institutional transformation, ensuring that its internal policies resonate within a larger academic and societal framework.

IULM has formally introduced and implemented a comprehensive policy of non-discrimination for transgender people, embedded within the broader framework of the IULM Gender Equality Plan. This Plan reflects the university’s commitment to advancing beyond compliance, ensuring that gender identity and self-determination are fully respected across all areas of university life.

At the core of this policy, IULM has formally adopted the Alias Careers Regulation, which guarantees that those who do not identify with the gender assigned at birth can have their gender identity recognized and live their university experience with dignity, privacy, and serenity. The protocol allows students to activate an Alias identity, enabling them to use a name consistent with their gender identity in all academic and administrative interactions within the university.

In 2024, IULM further strengthened its inclusivity measures by introducing a dual-degree parchment system: Alias students now receive two official parchments, one bearing their birth name and one bearing their Alias identity. This innovative measure ensures that all students, regardless of gender identity, can pursue their academic, professional, and personal ambitions with dignity and equal recognition, fully aligned with the university’s values of inclusivity and human rights.

When this protocol was first introduced, Professor Vanessa Gemmo, Rector’s Delegate for Equal Opportunities, emphasized: “The formalization of Alias careers through a specific protocol represents an important step in the creation of an increasingly inclusive study environment that can ensure the psychological and physical well-being of all students on our campus. Thanks to Alias identities, those who request them will be able to use a name in all interactions with the University that is different from their birth name and consistent with their gender identity.”

Regulations for activating Alias careers, along with the application form and the confidentiality agreement, are publicly available on the IULM website.

Finally, in line with the principle of transparent monitoring, IULM has also introduced the annual publication of data regarding Alias students. For the academic year 2023/2024, 6 Alias students were recorded, providing measurable evidence of the university’s inclusive policies and their impact.

Università IULM has adopted maternity policies that support women’s participation. These policies apply both to staff and to students and are designed to ensure that parenthood does not prevent women from completing their academic or professional careers.

Support for staff

In compliance with Italian legislation (D.Lgs. 26.3.2001 n.151 and subsequent amendments, and D.Lgs. 80/2015 Art.7), Università IULM guarantees:

• Maternity leave: full compensation during the legally mandated period of absence.
• Paternity leave: full access to national provisions, ensuring fathers can share parental responsibilities.
• Pregnancy protection: the option for women in the last two months of pregnancy to work remotely (“smart working”), guaranteeing health and family care.

To further support parenthood, IULM promotes a flexible working environment through the possibility of part-time contracts, teleworking, and flexible schedules for staff with family responsibilities.

A milestone of IULM’s inclusive approach has been the inauguration of the Aldia Kindergarden, providing reduced fees for the children of university employees and making work-life reconciliation a tangible reality for teaching and technical-administrative staff.

Additional conventions extend benefits to staff and their families:

• Educational facilities: nurseries, kindergartens, and bilingual schools (e.g. MILE Bilingual School).
• Mobility and transport: Trenitalia, Pikyrent, Wayla, ITA Airways.
• Healthcare services: Humanitas, Auxologico, Eurosanità, IEO, dental services.

Support for students

IULM ensures that student mothers and fathers can pursue their studies while raising a family. Specific measures include:

• On-campus nursery access for student parents, ensuring affordability and proximity.
• Targeted scholarships and tuition reductions for women from low-income backgrounds and for student mothers, designed to sustain their academic path.
• Part-time enrolment options for students with family or work responsibilities, health issues, or caregiving duties, allowing them to extend the duration of their studies while paying proportionally reduced fees.
• Tutoring and international mobility support, ensuring that women, including mothers, can fully access Erasmus opportunities and internships both in Italy and abroad.

Work-life balance measures

IULM complements maternity and paternity leave provisions with a wider set of work-life balance policies, including:

• Flexible work arrangements for staff (part-time, teleworking, smart working, flexible hours).
• Part-time enrolment schemes for students with caregiving responsibilities.
• Comprehensive conventions with educational, mobility, and healthcare providers.
• Counseling and wellbeing programmes to support women balancing family, study, and professional life.

Through these measures, IULM ensures that maternity and parenthood are fully integrated into the university’s policies, enabling both staff and students to pursue their careers and education with equal opportunities.

Università IULM provides accessible childcare facilities for students, for students which allow recent mothers to attend university courses, participate in university life and complete their studies.

A key milestone has been the inauguration of the on-campus Nursery, a welcoming and safe environment specifically designed to support student mothers. The Nursery is equipped with a comfortable nursing seat, a changing table, and all facilities needed to ensure an intimate and serene setting for childcare while mothers attend lectures or study on campus.

This project is directly linked to the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which identifies childcare facilities as a strategic priority for gender equality and inclusiveness. The policy is promoted and monitored by the Equal Opportunities Committee, which ensures that initiatives such as the Nursery effectively improve student wellbeing and participation.

In addition to the on-campus Nursery, IULM has established conventions with several childcare providers in Milan, enabling student mothers to benefit from reduced fees and flexible enrolment throughout the entire duration of their degree programmes. Agreements include:

• Aldia nurseries and kindergartens (various sites in Milan)
• MILE Bilingual School (nursery, kindergarten, and primary education)

These agreements are designed not only for the direct benefit of student mothers but also to extend support to their families, reinforcing the University’s role in promoting equality of access for women from different social and economic backgrounds.

By integrating on-campus childcare services with a broader network of conventions, IULM has created a system that ensures recent mothers can continue their academic careers without interruption. This initiative represents a further step in building a supportive and inclusive university culture, where access to education is not limited by gender or parental responsibilities.

Università IULM provides childcare facilities for staff and faculty, ensuring that motherhood and childcare responsibilities do not limit the ability of women to fully participate in their professional roles within the university.

The cornerstone of this commitment has been the inauguration of the on-campus Nursery, a dedicated space designed to support teaching and administrative staff. Equipped with a nursing chair, a changing table, and all the necessary facilities, the Nursery provides a safe and serene environment for children, enabling recent mothers to reconcile their professional duties with family care.

This initiative is embedded in the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which explicitly identifies childcare facilities as a structural component of gender equality and inclusiveness at the university. The implementation of this policy is monitored by the Equal Opportunities Committee, which plays a central role in guaranteeing that such facilities translate into tangible benefits for staff and faculty, thereby enhancing their wellbeing and professional participation.

Beyond the on-campus Nursery, IULM has activated a network of conventions with external childcare providers in Milan, aimed at further supporting staff and faculty. These include:

• Aldia nurseries and kindergartens (various sites across Milan)
• MILE Bilingual School (nursery, kindergarten, and primary education)

These agreements provide reduced fees, preferential enrollment, and flexible access, ensuring that staff members and their families can benefit from services adapted to their needs.

Through the combination of an on-campus Nursery and a network of external agreements, IULM offers a comprehensive childcare system that enables women staff and faculty to fully engage in their teaching, research, and administrative duties. This represents a further step in building an inclusive university environment where gender equality and work-life balance are structurally supported.

Università IULM provides women’s mentoring schemes and related support programmes, ensuring that women students have access to tailored initiatives that promote their academic success, wellbeing, and full participation in university life. These programmes are embedded in the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which identifies mentoring and psychological support as a cornerstone of women’s empowerment within the university.

Women students constituted the vast majority of participants in IULM’s counseling, mentoring, tutoring, and peer support programmes. In the academic year 2023/2024:

• 85% of the students engaged in peer mentoring schemes were women.
• 78% of the students availing themselves of counseling opportunities were women.
• 80% of the students participating in programmes devoted to mental health and wellbeing were women.
• Overall, 18% of the women student population took part in the available mentoring schemes.

A targeted approach was also pursued through initiatives such as  “Orienta-menti”, Seminars on Study Methods, Stress Management, and Expectations, and Seminars about a stress-free graduation. These seminars, reserved for small groups, taught strategies to cope with stress and overcome academic obstacles. Once again, the vast majority of participants were women (80% in seminars, 78% in one-to-one interviews with psychologists).

In the same context, IULM promoted participation in the Mentorship Milano initiative, a women-focused empowerment and mentoring pathway for young women (18–30) living in the Metropolitan City of Milan. The programme offers a structured shadowing cycle (three meetings over six months) with high-profile women leaders across business, fashion, design, publishing and institutions, helping mentees explore aspirations, receive practical career guidance, and build confidence.

In 2024, IULM further strengthened its support system by establishing a collaboration with the Anti-Violence Center Cerchi d’Acqua, open to the entire IULM community – students, teaching staff, and technical-administrative personnel. The initiative offers structured assistance to women who have experienced mistreatment, abuse, sexual and psychological violence, or stalking. Services include welcome interviews, individual psychological support, psychotherapy, legal counseling, employment guidance, and financial education. As part of this collaboration, IULM also organises training sessions and public awareness events on gender-based violence, accessible both to the university and the wider community. In addition, IULM collaborates with Ankyra, an association that since 2013 has supported women and men – regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation – who are victims of domestic or relational violence. Through this partnership, IULM ensures a multidisciplinary approach to mentoring and support, combining academic tutoring, psychological care, and pathways to independence.

The above figures and initiatives demonstrate the importance given by the university to women’s mentoring schemes as a key mechanism to enable women students to fully benefit from the academic and social opportunities offered by IULM. In continuity with past years, the university’s future is increasingly directed towards gender equality, under the framework of the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which promotes the inclusion of women in academic life and condemns all forms of gender discrimination.

Università IULM systematically measures and tracks the likelihood of women graduating compared to men’s, in full alignment with its Gender Equality Plan. This policy explicitly provides for the collection, monitoring and analysis of gender-disaggregated data as a cornerstone of the university’s strategy to foster women’s success throughout their academic careers and to intervene with corrective measures whenever necessary.

The systematic tracking of women’s graduation rates includes all stages of the student journey: applications, enrolments, degree completion, and dropout rates. It also covers specific categories such as first-generation students, students from developing countries, refugees, and students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD).

The latest available figures (a.a. 2023/2024) are summarised in the tables below:

Dropout rates (a.a. 2022/2023 → 2023/2024)

a.a. 2023/2024

a.a. 2022/2023

The figures confirm that there is no significant gap between men’s and women’s graduation rates. This demonstrates IULM’s success in ensuring equal academic opportunities and its commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where women are supported in achieving their academic goals.

Dropout of students with disabilities (1st → 2nd year)

Dropout of students with SLD (1st → 2nd year)

These figures show a progressive improvement in the graduation likelihood of students with disabilities and SLD, confirming the positive impact of targeted mentoring, personalized tutoring, and counselling schemes.

Beyond data tracking, IULM actively sustains women’s chances of graduation through dedicated support schemes:

• Mentoring, counseling, and peer-support programmes, with the vast majority of participants being women.
• Scholarships targeted to women, especially those in disadvantaged economic conditions.
• Conventions with external partners, including Cerchi d’Acqua (anti-violence center) and Ankyra, offering psychological, legal, and employment support to women victims of violence.
• Family–work/study balance measures, including the opening of the on-campus nursery and agreements with other childcare facilities in Milan.
• Flexible study and work arrangements, such as part-time enrolment.

Through this integrated approach, IULM ensures that tracking graduation rates is not a mere statistical exercise, but rather the foundation for structural interventions aimed at eliminating barriers to women’s success. The university is fully committed to expanding these measures in future years, reinforcing its dedication to inclusiveness and gender equality.

Università IULM has a clear policy in place to protect individuals reporting discrimination from educational or employment disadvantage. This protection is embedded within the university’s broader Gender Equality Plan and is formally regulated by its whistleblowing framework, which applies to all employees, students, and third parties connected to the university.

The whistleblowing framework explicitly guarantees that no retaliation, educational or employment disadvantage will occur against those who submit a legitimate report. This commitment is fully compliant with Italian national legislation, in particular D. Lgs. n. 24/2023, which transposes the EU Whistleblowing Directive, thereby ensuring consistency with the highest European standards.

To operationalize this policy, IULM provides a dedicated online whistleblowing platform, designed to safeguard confidentiality, anonymity, and protection of whistleblowers. The platform allows individuals to submit reports in a secure environment, where personal identity can remain undisclosed. All reports are received and assessed by the Supervisory Body (Organismo di Vigilanza), which is responsible for guaranteeing impartial handling of cases and protecting the privacy of the whistleblower at every stage of the process.

In addition to the internal protection framework, IULM ensures that individuals who feel that their reports have not been adequately addressed through internal channels may escalate their cases to the National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC), further strengthening external oversight and reinforcing protections against possible reprisals.

By embedding these safeguards into both its governance system and inclusion strategy, IULM not only complies with legal requirements but also reinforces a cultural commitment to transparency, fairness, and protection from discrimination. This framework ensures that students, faculty, and staff can report concerns without fear of retaliation, contributing to a safe and inclusive university environment.

ACCORDION 13: Paternity policy

Università IULM has adopted a paternity policy that fully supports women’s participation by ensuring that non-gestational parents can actively share childcare responsibilities. This commitment is embedded in the IULM Gender Equality Plan, which identifies shared parenthood and equal access to family support services as strategic priorities to remove barriers to women’s full participation in academic and professional life.

Support for staff

In compliance with Italian legislation (art. 27-bis, T.U. maternità/paternità, D.Lgs. 151/2001 and subsequent amendments, as well as D.Lgs. 80/2015, art. 7), IULM ensures that all non-gestational parent employees benefit from:

• 10 days of compulsory paid paternity leave, to be taken within five months from the birth of the child.
• The right to request up to 7 months of additional parental leave, shared with the mother, with full protection of employment.
• Paid leave to accompany the child or partner to medical visits, without salary reduction.

Beyond statutory provisions, IULM has introduced enhanced work-life balance measures:

• Flexible contracts, including part-time, teleworking, smart working, and flexible hours, specifically designed for staff with family responsibilities.
• The inauguration of the Aldia Kindergarten, offering reduced fees for children of staff and making work-life reconciliation a tangible reality for teaching and technical-administrative staff.
• Additional conventions to extend benefits to staff and their families, including:
  • Educational facilities: nurseries, kindergartens, and bilingual schools (MILE Bilingual School).
  • Mobility and transport: Trenitalia, Pikyrent, Wayla, ITA Airways.
  • Healthcare services: Humanitas, Auxologico, Eurosanità, IEO, and affiliated dental practices.

Support for students

IULM also guarantees that student fathers can pursue their studies while raising a family. Measures include:

• On-campus nursery access for student parents, ensuring affordability and proximity.
• Part-time enrolment schemes, enabling students with caregiving duties to extend the duration of their studies while paying proportionally reduced fees.
• Tuition reductions and scholarships, particularly aimed at women from low-income backgrounds and student mothers, which indirectly support paternity by reducing the overall financial burden on families.
• Tutoring and mobility support ensuring that parents, including fathers, can fully access Erasmus opportunities and internships both in Italy and abroad.

Work-life balance policies

IULM complements paternity leave provisions with a broader set of work-life balance measures, available to both staff and students:

• Flexible working arrangements (part-time, teleworking, smart working, flexible hours).
• Comprehensive conventions with educational, mobility, and healthcare providers to support families in daily life.
• Counseling and wellbeing programmes that help students and staff manage the dual responsibilities of family and professional or academic careers.

Through these provisions, IULM ensures that paternity is fully recognized and supported, enabling fathers to share childcare responsibilities equitably. By promoting fatherhood as a collective responsibility, the university strengthens women’s participation in all areas of academic and professional life.