Access to university underrepresented groups recruit

Università IULM takes planned, structured actions to recruit students, staff, and faculty from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, in alignment with its Strategic Plan 2025–2027, the IULM Gender Equality Plan, and the IULM Code of Ethics.

Refugees

Università IULM has signed the UNHCR Manifesto for Inclusive Universities, a program committed to the active recruitment and integration of refugee and asylum-seeking students and staff. Dedicated scholarships, full tuition waivers, housing and meals, and targeted mentoring programmes are provided to students from conflict areas. These actions are reinforced by international mobility support, language assistance, and integration activities. Recruitment of academic staff with refugee or migrant backgrounds is encouraged through open calls and international partnerships.

Women

Università IULM promotes the recruitment and career advancement of women across all roles. Currently, women represent more than 75% of the student body, of whom 80% are first-generation students.

For students, targeted scholarships, tuition reductions, and part-time enrolment schemes support access for women, especially mothers and those from low-income backgrounds.

For staff and faculty, the IULM Gender Equality Plan sets explicit targets to ensure gender balance in recruitment committees and to counteract stereotypes in career progression.

Università IULM has adopted comprehensive maternity and parenthood policies, aligned with Italian legislation (D.Lgs. 151/2001 and subsequent amendments), offering full maternity and paternity leave, pregnancy protection through smart working, and flexible work arrangements.

To reconcile family and career, the University provides on-campus Nursery for staff and students, reduced-fee agreements with nurseries and bilingual schools, conventions with healthcare and mobility providers, and counseling programmes. For student parents, specific scholarships, tutoring, and Erasmus+ mobility support ensure continuity of academic careers.

Low-income and first-generation students

Università IULM actively recruits students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds by offering:

• Scholarships, tuition waivers, and dedicated IULM grants.
• Part-time enrolment schemes to facilitate work–study balance.
• Outreach programmes in schools to engage first-generation applicants.
• Access to conventions reducing costs for housing, healthcare, mobility, and cultural participation, thereby lowering barriers to enrolment.

Students and staff with disabilities

Università IULM ensures inclusive recruitment of students with disabilities through the DiversaMENTE Office, a dedicated institutional service that accompanies students from admission to graduation. The Office manages compensatory and dispensative measures for admission tests, provides assistive technologies, and offers personalized tutoring and counseling. Dedicated scholarships are made available each year for students with disabilities and specific learning disorders (SLD).

At staff level, Università IULM records a significant proportion of employees with disabilities and implements a wide range of measures to ensure accessibility and career inclusion. These include the possibility of smart working, part-time flexible schedules, workplace adaptations, and wellbeing programmes, in full compliance with Italian law on employment inclusion.

Additional protections for staff with disabilities:

• The IULM employment contract guarantees that employees with disabilities have the right to part-time arrangements and smart working.
• Employees with severe disabilities are entitled to paid leave (three days per month or two hours per day).
• Family members who care for a person with severe disability are entitled to extraordinary paid leave with full social security coverage.
• All staff benefit from an institutional welfare scheme, which can be used to cover medical expenses and other essential needs, further reducing inequalities and supporting quality of life.