Vocational training events (lifelong learning)

Università IULM as a body hosts educational events at university that are open to the general public, including executive education programmes and vocational training, and designs and delivers free or publicly accessible educational initiatives aimed at enhancing professional and cultural competencies in communication, languages, the arts, and social innovation.

This approach is rooted in the Strategic Plan 2025–2027, which defines the Third Mission as a core pillar: “to open the University to society through training, research and cultural initiatives that foster professional skills, promote civic participation, and support lifelong learning.”

It is further supported by the Statute — guaranteeing citizens’ right to educational and cultural access — and by the IULM Code of Ethics (Arts. 1–3), which ensures equality, inclusion, and social responsibility in all learning activities.

Vocational Training Courses and Educational Pathways

In 2024, IULM adopted a multidisciplinary and practice-based approach to vocational education, offering workshops, lectures, and cultural events accessible to students, professionals, and citizens alike. These free initiatives provide tools for personal development, professional upskilling, and civic engagement.

Key initiatives included:

Training Translators and Interpreters Today – an international workshop open to students and professionals, examining innovation in translation and interpreting studies.
Scrivere, tradurre e parlare ai tempi dell’IA – a public seminar on the ethical and linguistic implications of artificial intelligence in communication and translation.
Roundtables on Arabic Language Education in Italy - a two-day conference aiming at training representatives from the Ministry of University and Research and regional school authorities to shape national strategies for linguistic inclusion.
Fondamenta – a free, open-access online programme featuring 12 masterclasses by leading professors, promoting critical thinking and civic education.
IULM for the City – a cycle of free lectures and dialogues between academics and citizens on culture, sustainability, and communication.
TOP – Tutoring Online Project – an open-access online mentoring and tutoring initiative for students and recent graduates.
Junior Summer School and Junior Winter School 2024 – open courses introducing secondary-school students to university-level subjects.
IULM Flow Talks – a public series of webinars featuring international experts, aimed at promoting global awareness and combating misinformation.
Recent topics from the Flow Talks 2024 series include:
- TALK 56: “Empower Leadership: Creative and Critical Thinking Perspective”
- TALK 55: “Addressing the Complex Challenges of Global Food Security — A Dialogue with FAO”
- TALK 54: “Communicating Sustainability Effectively: Today’s Challenges and Useful Strategies”
- TALK 53: “Sustainable Innovation: Exploring Gamification in Environmental and Social Outreach and Education”
- TALK 52: “Green Deal: Actions and Innovations for Sustainability at the Local Level”

Additional 2024 vocational training activities included:

Teacher Training Courses and Progetto Licei – capacity-building and orientation programmes for teachers and high-school students.
Graduate Summer School (Open Lectures) – postgraduate-level lectures in sustainability and communication, open to the public.
Civil Week 2024 and International Week 2024 – civic and educational programmes promoting inclusion, global citizenship, and sustainability.
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.

These pathways reinforce IULM’s role as a catalyst for community education, combining academic learning with social and cultural engagement.

Experiential Education in Art, Cinema, and Theatre

Università IULM offers experiential and cultural learning opportunities through exhibitions, performances, and public debates, fostering artistic awareness, creativity, and civic participation.
These initiatives combine creativity, applied learning, and community engagement, turning the campus into a public cultural hub.

Key initiatives in 2024 included:

Masterclass with Marco D’Amore – public acting and storytelling workshop connecting students and citizens through performance and narrative techniques.
Is peace a utopia? - a congress by Archbishop Mons. Mario Delpini.
Sognielettrici - IULM festival of fantastic and science fiction.
Noir in Festival 2024 – a week of film premieres and literary meetings, comics, and Podcasts.
The Legacy of Prometheus– conference of Italian universities and design academies addressing creativity, artificial intelligence, and visual culture.
Inauguration of “Le avventure della visione”, an exhibition by Virgilio Villoresi – open audiovisual art exhibition.
AI.motion - Italian Film and Audiovisual Festival.
BookCity 2024 at IULM - a series of meetings with authors, writers, round tables, presentations, and debates whose absolute protagonists are books.
Don Winslow and the rubble of America - U.S. writer meets with students and audience at IULM.
Michele Placido and Fabrizio Bentivoglio in IULM for the presentation of the film Eterno visionario.
"Io, Shakespeare e Pirandello" - a theater play by Giorgio Pasotti
“Tutta un’altra musica” – Lecture-concert for World Arabic Language Day – live event combining performance and education on Arabic culture and music.
Franco Mussida in IULM – concert and open workshop on the social and emotional power of music.
The Mariachi and Mexican Music at IULM – concert-lecture promoting cultural exchange and musical heritage.
Piano City Milano 2024 – open piano concert by Antonio Alessandri in the IULM Auditorium as part of the city’s festival of music.
“Gender Cultures” Conference – multidisciplinary symposium combining arts, media, and gender studies to promote equality and diversity.
“Carissimo Bernardino – A Study Day” – public academic session exploring the multifaceted artistic and literary work of Bernardino Zapponi.
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 – public seminar on the aesthetics and politics of images.
“How Can Music Improve the Places Where We Live?” – lecture by Shain Shapiro, Sound Diplomacy founder, exploring music’s role in urban well-being.
The Voice / The Voices of Women, from classics to contemporaries - a conference and a theatrical performance.

Through these activities, IULM provided hands-on and participatory learning experiences in art, film, and performance, connecting students, professionals, and citizens.
These initiatives collectively reached over 15,000 participants and demonstrate the University’s commitment to lifelong learning through cultural engagement.

Executive Education Programmes

In parallel with its free community training, IULM offers a comprehensive range of Executive Education Programmes for professionals, managers, and entrepreneurs seeking to enhance their skills in communication, management, and cultural industries.

These are fee-based, accredited programmes, delivered through the IULM Executive Education Division, which ensures academic excellence, industry relevance, and applied outcomes.

Executive Education Offerings:

Executive Courses – short, intensive programmes in Strategic Communication, Digital Transformation, Brand Management, Public Speaking, and Sustainability Management.
Executive Programmes – multi-module professional courses in Corporate Communication, Leadership and Innovation, Cultural Management, Luxury Marketing, and International Business Strategy.

These initiatives contribute to continuous professional development and strengthen the link between academic research and market practice, supporting the lifelong learning mission defined in the Strategic Plan 2025–2027 and embedded in the University’s Third Mission strategy.