In recent months, we have often drawn attention to universities in the midst of the Covid-19 emergency, highlighting the risk of a fall in enrolments, especially in the south of Italy, due to lower incomes amongst Italian families and growing inequality between north and south.
In fact, this was not the case, enrolments did not drop and students went back to their books, albeit with some additional restrictions.
Official figures are not yet known, but during his speech at the third Gran Sasso International Forum at the University of Teramo, the Minister for Universities and Research, Gaetano Manfredi, said: “We have had wonderful news of an increase in university enrolments. We were very afraid that there would be a decrease. The Government’s commitment to the right to education is producing extraordinary results. We have growing numbers from north to south”.
In order to strengthen support for students and universities in Southern Italy, the StudioSì (Intelligent Specialisation Fund initiative of the Ministry for Universities and Research – MUR) has been launched as part of the National Strategy for Intelligent Specialisation (SNSI) of the 2014-2020 PON Research and Innovation, with a budget of around €93 million, co-financed by the European Social Fund and managed by the EIB (European Investment Bank).
The EIB has selected Intesa San Paolo and ICCREA as the lending banks for the Fondo Studiosi (Study Fund). As a partner of Intesa Sanpaolo, as part of the Per Merito loan, Habacus has been chosen as the certifying body to support students at all stages of the loan application process.
The StudioSì fund is aimed at:
- students living in the eight target regions of the PON project — Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Apulia, Sardinia and Sicily — who are attending or will attend the final two years of single-cycle degree courses, master’s degree courses and specialist training courses at any Italian or foreign university;
- students living in other regions of Italy who want to attend a university or specialist college in the south of Italy.
It consists of a loan of up to €50,000, interest-free and without guarantees or sureties, which is intended to cover both the cost of enrolment and the day-to-day expenses associated with studying (e.g. transport, accommodation and food). In addition, there will be a bridging period after completion of the studies, whereby the student will have up to 2 years before starting to repay the amounts loaned.
We are proud to be able to contribute to this initiative as the Body certifying commitment to study. This is the only security required for obtaining the loan, because we are convinced that the recovery of Southern Italy must begin with education and youth empowerment!
