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Support for underrepresented groups

Università IULM provides mentoring/counselling/peer support programmes to support students, staff, faculty from underrepresented groups.

For example, with respect to those suffering from disability IULM has a special program called DiversaMENTE, The University's DiversaMENTE office deals with issues relating to the disabilities of students enrolled at the University to guarantee their full inclusion and participation in university life: teaching, research, access to services and facilities. The service works in close synergy with the Rector's Delegate for Inclusion and Disability. Moreover, IULM has instituted a special peer to peer students’ mentorship scheme called Peer Tutors. These are senior students who make their experience available to support other students, especially those from disadvantaged or otherwise underrepresented groups. (click on the section "Disabilità" for details).

With respect to women students, these constituted the vast majority of the student participants in the university’s counseling, mentoring, tutoring and peer support programmes provided by the university. 83% of the students availing themselves of the counseling opportunities were women; 92% of the students taking part in the peer mentoring schemes were women; 92% of the students participating in the programmes devoted to mental health issues were women.

With respect to staff and faculty, IULM indeed supplies counseling and psychological support programmes: underrepresented / potentially underrepresented groups e.g disabled, women, LGBTQ+, are amongst those taking the most frequent advantage of such programmes and services. As part of this initiative, IULM has established a partnership with CDI (Centro Diagnostico Italiano) to provide a free and optional Psychological Support Service, managed by a senior clinical psychologist registered with the Italian Order of Psychologists.

This Psychological Support Service has been available since September 1, 2021, and is designed to offer initial responses to psychological issues, assist users in identifying strategies for resolving problems, whether work-related or personal, and promote overall well-being in personal, family, and work environments. The program is provided in full compliance with privacy regulations, ensuring confidentiality. The relationship between the individual and the psychologist guarantees the privacy of the service, and no third party will be informed.