Public events (lifelong learning)

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.
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 2024 IULM hosted a wide range of public lectures, conferences, and artistic performances open to all citizens, offering opportunities for reflection, debate, and cultural exchange between academia and society.

Key examples from 2024 include:

• Masterclass with Marco D’Amore – public session on cinema and creative arts.
• "L'imbroglio alimentare": the new workshop by IULM Food Academy on healthy nutrition.
• “Interminati spazi e sovrumani silenzi” – five interfaith lectures on Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
• IULM Talent & creativity challenge and Scholarship Ceremony – public event celebrating student achievement.
• "Moda. Una rivoluzione italiana": Fashion Docuseries Presentation – open discussion on fashion communication.
• Concert by Giulio Casale – Tribute to De André: free concert for the Milanese community.
• Lesson with Maria Porro – public lecture on leadership and design.
• Conference on video game photography – conference on visual media and gaming.
• Korea at IULM: discover, play, learn! – intercultural celebration of Korean culture.
• The European AI Act - congress on artificial intelligence regulation.
• Inauguration of “Le avventure della visione”, an exhibition by Virgilio Villoresi – open audiovisual art exhibition.
• Presentation of gold medal in memory of Gaetano Pesce – public award ceremony.
• False ESG: narrazioni aziendali (In)autentiche - A debate on sustainability and greenwashing, ahead of the new EU regulation on ESG ratings.
• “L’Europa e i suoi Altrove” - public congress on European identity and transnational culture.
• D'Innocenzo brothers in IULM – public masterclass on film direction.
• "Io, Shakespeare e Pirandello" - a theater play by Giorgio Pasotti.
• Milan Civil Week at IULM - a series of events about inclusion and social commitment.
• Don Winslow and the rubble of America - U.S. writer meets with students and audience at IULM.
• Diet, exercise and weight for a better quality of life - a lecture by Prof. Sorrentino.
• Is peace a utopia? - a congress by Archbishop Mons. Mario Delpini.
• Piano City Milan 2024 - a concert by Antonio Alessandri at IULM.
• The Legacy of Prometheus - Conference of Italian Universities and Design Academies on Artificial Intelligence.
• The initiative “Leggo molto” at IULM - A book giveaway by Libraccio at IULM where participants can fill a tote bag with as many books as they can carry to promote reading.
• “The life you wanted” - presentation of the new Netflix series in IULM.
• Worklife Balance - two seminars with LILT (Lega Italiana per la Lotta ai Tumori).
• Leaders: Women and Men who lead communities into the future and know how to tell the story - A series of meetings dedicated to students, graduates, professionals and citizens.
• Roundtables on Arabic Language Education in Italy.
• Italy in the Seventies - a conference at IULM.
• Sognielettrici - IULM festival of fantastic and science fiction.
• AI.motion - Italian Film and Audiovisual Festival.
• "La trasformazione digitale. Una sfida esistenziale per il giornalismo" - presentation of the results of an Ipsos-IULM survey.
• Gender Cultures - Multidisciplinary conference on gender cultures.
• The mariachi and Mexican music at IULM - a concert-lecture in Auditorium.
• Michele Placido and Fabrizio Bentivoglio in IULM for the presentation of the film Eterno visionario.
• BookCity 2024 at IULM - a series of meetings with authors, writers, round tables, presentations, and debates whose absolute protagonists are books.
• Franco Mussida at IULM - A concert and a workshop.
• SEMPER KANT - a conference at IULM Immanuel Kant.
• How can music improve the places where we live? - a conversation with Shain Shapiro, founder and president of Sound Diplomacy and executive director of the Center for Music Ecosystems.
• Between specialization and integration: what organizational models to create synergy between communication and marketing? - An open lecture in Professor Alessandra Mazzei's Brand and Corporate Communication course.
• International Conference Art Before Art 2.0 - Paleolithic Art, a Contemporary Issue. From Painted Cave to Extended Realities.
• Workshops on Communication Professions - How are communication professions evolving?
• The Voice / The Voices of Women, from classics to contemporaries - a conference and a theatrical performance.
• Noir in Festival 2024 – a week of film premieres and literary meetings, comics, and Podcasts.
• W.J.T. Mitchell guest at IULM - a cycle of three seminars for PhD in Visual and Media Studies and open to the public.
• Anthropology of screens - A seminar the the book by Carbone and Lingua.
• Carissimo Bernardino – A study day at IULM University exploring the multifaceted work of Bernardino Zapponi, a multimedia talent in cinema, literature, journalism, and television.
• “Tutta un'altra musica” - a lecture-concert for World Arabic Language Day

Through these public dialogues and cultural encounters, IULM transforms academic expertise into accessible cultural knowledge, fostering open reflection on communication, art, technology, and society.

Community Educational Events and Applied Learning

In addition to lectures and conferences, IULM organises community-oriented workshops and applied educational programmes that develop practical skills and civic awareness.
These initiatives, often co-designed with institutions and cultural partners, exemplify IULM’s commitment to applied learning and community empowerment.

Highlights from 2024 include:

• “Fondamenta” – Open Online Course: a free, fully online educational programme offering 12 masterclasses on communication, culture, and critical thinking, open to anyone worldwide.
• IULM for the City 2024 – a series of 12 open lectures on communication, sustainability, and digital culture for the Milanese community.
• Teacher Training Courses and Progetto Licei – free programmes for teachers and high-school students promoting media literacy and educational innovation.
• Junior Summer School and Junior Winter School 2024 – open courses introducing secondary-school students to university-level subjects.
• International Week 2024 – open lectures by 28 international guest scholars promoting global citizenship and intercultural dialogue.
• Career Days and Open Days 2024 – community events bridging academia and employment opportunities.

These programmes integrate academic learning with public engagement, allowing citizens to acquire both practical competencies and critical awareness on topics central to sustainable and inclusive societies.