Policy for women applications and entry

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:

	Total number of students	Male	Female	% of female	Difference from 2023
Students	8573	1931	6642	77%	+2%
Applicants	4873	1159	3714	76%	-0,8%
Students starting a degree	2193	491	1702	78%	-5%
Undergraduate	6693	1460	5233	78%	+2%
Postgraduate	1880	445	1409	75%	+1%
Graduates	2827	624	2203	78%	+11%
First-generation students	1160	249	911	79%	-9%
Refugee students	19	5	14	74%	+6%
Students from developing countries	104	27	77	74%	-18%
Students with disability	114	35	79	69%	+13%
Students with SLD	516	135	381	74%	+13%
Non-traditional students  (over 30) undergraduate	46	15	31	67%	New data
Non-traditional students (over 30) postgraduate	21	5	16	76%	New data
Students receiving financial aid	876	164	712	81%	+6%
Students paying the first rate	779	141	638	82%	-10%
Students enrolled in 2024 paying the first rate	322	60	262	81%	+8%
Graduates paying the first rate	194	31	163	84%	+13%
Students on internships abroad	117	26	91	78%	New data
Students on internships in Italy	1317	293	1024	78%	New data
Exchange students inbound	330	40	290	88%	New data
Exchange students outbound	363	76	287	79%	New data

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.