Partners

UNHCR will have a coordinating role together with other national partners and will support dialogue among relevant institutional representatives in Italy and Ethiopia. In addition, in Ethiopia it will facilitate the dissemination of the project among refugee communities and the issuance of travel documents to selected refugees.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will be involved in processing study visa applications and other documents that may be necessary for university admission.

Caritas Italiana, the pastoral body of the Italian Episcopal Conference, will support the selected students in pre-departure activities in Ethiopia and will assist them once they arrive in Italy.

First of all, it will focus on the dissemination of the project in order to reach the widest audience of potentially interested refugees. After the students are selected by the universities, Caritas Italiana, through the operational collaboration of the Gandhi Association, will cover their pre-departure expenses including transport and medical visits and provide administrative and logistical support. It will also cover travel expenses from Ethiopia to Italy.

In Italy, through the network of diocesan Caritas, it will welcome the students and actively support them during the integration process in the local community, in collaboration with the universities.

Diaconia Valdese provides its experience in the field of asylum seeker- and refugee- reception in order to support students coming to Italy with the UNICORE project.
Each student is assigned a personal social worker who has the task of providing support for the entire duration of the University course.
Diaconia Valdese, through its national network of services and social centres, facilitates the access of migrants and foreigners to local services and provides them with legal advice, social secretariat, cultural and linguistic mediation and psychological support. It also promotes participation in cultural, recreational and social activities to encourage social inclusion and knowledge of the host cities. Moreover, thanks to specific fundraising campaigns, it offers students monthly pocket money to cover personal expenditures, subscription to local transport and telephone bills; last but not least, it provides necessary items for studying.
The activities are coordinated by a project manager coordinates all and his role is to facilitate the connection at national level with Universities, project partners and local workers, thus ensuring the sustainability and continuity of the actions for the entire project timeline.

Gandhi Charity will provide support to students in Ethiopia, with their application process and administrative procedures with respect to the Universities and the Italian embassy in Addis Abeba. Furthermore, Gandhi Charity will help the beneficiary students undergo medical check-ups and make the necessary internal logistical arrangements. Gandhi Charity through its operators in Ethiopia will serve as a point of reference for the selected students, to provide the necessary assistance during preparation for their departure to Italy.

Centro Astalli is the Italian Country office of the Jesuit Refugee Service. Since 1981, it has been committed to serve, accompany, and advocate for refugees in Rome and Italy. Currently, it acts through a network of associations in eight Italian cities. Centro Astalli supports the project accompanying beneficiaries after they arrive in Italy: it will focus on welcoming students and directly support them during their stay in the local community, favoring their social inclusion and integration in close collaboration with the different Universities.

The University for Foreigners of Perugia is the oldest and most prestigious Italian institution specialised in teaching, research and promotion of all expressions of Italian language and culture. It was founded in the early 1920s and, since the very beginning, has always been a symbol of openness and tolerance, as well as a meeting place for different cultures and peoples, developing into what has become a real workshop of intercultural education. Beside this specific vocation, the University for Foreigners of Perugia offers also degree and Master degree courses, specialisation courses and a PhD programme focusing on Teaching Italian language to foreigners, Made in Italy, International relations, communication and sustainability. The University for Foreigners of Perugia offers Italian language classes to UNICORE students before departure.

The University for Foreigners of Siena is an Italian state University specialized in teaching Italian as a foreign language and in scientific research concerning the diffusion of Italian Language and Culture throughout the world.
Today both Italian and international students can enrol in its Undergraduate, Graduate, Postgraduate and PhD programs focused on Linguistics, Literature, Humanities, Translation Studies, Communication:
- Bachelor’s Degrees (3 years)
- Master’s Degrees (2 years)
- Postgraduate studies (1 year)
- Ph.D studies (3 years)
- International Programs (Double Degrees and Foundation Year)
- Italian language and culture courses for foreigners
- Training, refresher and specialization courses for teachers
- E-Learning and distance education
- Certifications for language learners and teachers.
The University has been awarded with the “European Label for Languages” for 11 times for the best projects for language diffusion, and its Language Centre is an Accredited Member of EAQUALS (the European Association for Quality Language Service). The University for Foreigners of Siena offers Italian language classes to UNICORE students before departure.