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  6. SDG 4 – Quality education

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 provides free access to educational resources for those not studying at the university. Università IULM demonstrates its commitment to open access and public education through its Strategic Plan, which outlines the 'Third Mission' focus on disseminating knowledge and engaging with the community. This commitment to sharing educational resources with the wider public underscores the university's role in promoting lifelong learning and cultural development​. The free educational resources that IULM offers are:  

1. Library Access: External users authorized by the library’s administration can access IULM’s library services, including borrowing up to three books. Requests for loans can be made online, and the loan duration varies depending on the material type, ranging from same-day consultation to a month-long loan. The library offers a comprehensive service allowing for renewals and reservations, ensuring widespread access to its resources.

2. Apeiron: IULM's institutional repository, provides free access to research works conducted at the university since 2000. These materials can be consulted online by entering search parameters like author or title.

3. Free Webinars - IULM Flow Talks: IULM organizes free public webinars through the IULM Flow Talks series, featuring leading international figures. These webinars provide an open platform for discussions on global challenges, ideas, and initiatives, aiming to foster a mutual exchange of knowledge across continents and engaging diverse audiences.

4. Free Courses, Seminars, and Schools: IULM offers a variety of free courses and workshops, both online and in-person, open to the public. Examples from 2023 include:

These initiatives highlight IULM’s commitment to offering valuable educational resources and opportunities to the wider community.

Università IULM hosts events at university that are open to the general public, such as public lectures, community educational events which foster engagement with the wider community and aim to equip participants with practical skills and industry insights relevant to today’s job market. In 2023, several initiatives were held that exemplify this commitment to public involvement. Some examples include:

These events cover a wide range of topics, from sustainability and entrepreneurship to art, culture, and international issues, demonstrating IULM’s dedication to providing educational and enriching experiences to the general public.

Università IULM hosts events at the university that are open to the general public: executive education programmes and vocational training events.

IULM is especially committed to providing education to the wider community constantly from September to July, designing proper educational pathways about communication, culture, media, sustainability, current affairs and pressing global issues - the main vocational focus of IULM. The university organizes events and initiatives both in person and online in order to reach as many people as possible and to extend the participation to those who cannot easily get to the Campus.

During the academic year 2022/2023 IULM has adopted a multidisciplinary and polyfunctional approach to the vocational training of the general public through several free initiatives and events, such as:

Università IULM actively undertakes educational outreach activities beyond its campus, demonstrating a strong commitment to engaging the wider community. Some notable initiatives from 2023 include:

1. Progetto Licei – This initiative undertakes educational outreach activities to local schools. It offers short study programs designed to show high school students, at their respective local schools, how the subjects they study can provide concrete skills for modern communication professions. Students participate in three-lesson cycles that involve hands-on lab activities led by IULM professors. The courses are free, and students receive a participation certificate. Schools can arrange these courses by contacting IULM directly.

2. TOP - Tutoring Online Program – IULM students participate in a voluntary student-run scheme that helps middle school students with their studies, especially those facing socio-economic or learning difficulties. This collaboration with other institutions like Bocconi and Harvard emphasizes IULM’s outreach to support the education of younger students.

3. Fondamenta – A free, online course open to both students and the public, demonstrating IULM’s commitment to undertake educational outreach activities in the wider community. It covers 12 key pillars of civilization, including topics ranging from the Bible to "Apocalypse Now," taught by renowned professors. This initiative emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and cultural heritage, open to the public as part of IULM’s mission to educate beyond its student body.

4. IULM for the City 2023 – A series of free lectures offered to the public on communication, politics, and food, taught by distinguished professors such as Gianni Canova, Roberto Vecchioni, and Angelo Panebianco. These courses are part of IULM’s academic curriculum but also open to citizens, fostering cultural exchange between the university and the community.

5. Corso "Professioni dell’editoria per i traduttori" – This specialized course offers external students a comprehensive overview of the roles translators can play in the publishing industry. Open to IULM and external students alike, it provides a practical and professional outlook on translation careers.

6. Junior Winter School 2023 – An online program where high school students can explore various subjects like media communication, arts, tourism, and fashion, offering them a glimpse into university-level learning in a virtual format.

These initiatives reflect IULM's dedication to fostering educational engagement with the broader community, both in person and online, and involving its students in voluntary outreach efforts.

Università IULM has a specific policy in place to ensure that access to its activities is accessible to all, regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, immigration status, or gender: in particular the IULM Code of Ethics (Article 3) explicitly opposes any form of discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, disability, immigration status, or gender, ensuring that all activities at IULM are open and inclusive to all. A practical implementation of this policy is carried out by the Equal Opportunities Committee, a representative body at IULM. The Committee works actively to combat discrimination and promote equal opportunities within the university community.

Its duties include:

  • Preventing and countering discrimination based on gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, political beliefs, religious faith, personal abilities, age, sexual orientation, and contractual conditions, as well as any form of harassment or violence.
  • Supporting individuals who believe they have been victims of discrimination or harmful behavior.
  • Promoting initiatives that foster work-life balance and a supportive environment, while removing inequalities that hinder individuals’ full participation in university life.
  • Proposing actions to ensure equal opportunities in all areas of academic life, including work, research, teaching, and study, and monitoring their implementation.
  • Raising awareness and promoting the culture of equal opportunities through research, education, and cultural initiatives on the theme of equality.

This committee serves as a crucial element in ensuring the university remains committed to the values of inclusivity and non-discrimination outlined in its Code of Ethics. Moreover the inscription for all IULM activities reaching out to the wider community expressly states that these are “open to all”.