Understand the changes that society is currently experiencing in different parts of the world and decide on the most appropriate actions to take based on the needs of the population and the environment. Be aware of the interdependence of countries and continents. Harmonize local and international interests.
To help master’s students acquire this type of knowledge, the University of Trento has launched an advanced training programme on global interdependence and sustainable development.
This honours programme was established by the University of Trento on the proposal by the departments of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering (DICAM) and Sociology and Social Research (DSRS), with the International Solidarity Training Centre (CFSI), co-founded by the University.
The programme was presented today in Mesiano, in the headquarters of the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, by Sara Ferrari, Provincial Councillor, Paolo Collini, Rector of the University, Paolo Tonelli, President of CFSI, Marco Tubino, Director of DICAM and President of CFSI’s scientific committee, and Mario Diani, Director of DSRS.
Carla Locatelli (Professor at the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, and member of CFSI’s scientific committee) and Andrea Segré (President of Fondazione Edmund Mach), gave a special lecture for the event.
The programme has been named “Talete”, which stands for “Talents and territories”. «Talete’s purpose is to offer a qualifying experience to both students and local partners. The University of Trento and CFSI believe that the local approach adopted in international development cooperation is the key to this extraordinary training opportunity to encourage a reflection on the international dimension to promote sustainable development, world citizenship education and the acquisition of cross-sector skills».
The Honours Programme in more detail
Talete students will include in their study plan an integrated training path and an internship period in international cooperation, for a total of 24 extra credits, thanks to which they will graduate from University with increased knowledge and skills and some experience and relations in an international context. The programme combines an initial workshop, a residential intensive course and a field work opportunity (2-3 months) during which students will produce their dissertation. After their graduation, students will have the opportunity to participate in an internship programme (2-3 months) in the same organization and in a final workshop.
In this initial phase there were only ten places available for students from the two departments involved, six from the Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering and four from the Department of Sociology and Social Research: Andrea Bello, Francesca Benci, Georgiana Ciot, Luigi Hinegk, Maria Lombardi, Marina Lucidi, Riccardo Parise, Cecilia Pradella, Laura Savegnago and Giada Sbrissa.
The posts were advertised last summer, after about three years of work to define the programme’s structure. The University received 36 applications. Students were selected based on their qualifications and cv, motivational letter, a group assessment exercise (to assess a number of cross-sector skills, among which their ability to listen, entrepreneurship, problem solving abilities, empathy, the ability to work in a group and leadership skills) and an individual interview. This led to the selection of 10 “talented ones” that started their training at the CFSI in late September.
For more information: www.dicam.unitn.it/272/talete
The launch of the programme
Rector Paolo Collini was present this morning at the Department of Engineering for the launch of Talete and said a few words: “Like all honours programmes, Talete is a demanding course in which students have to invest more energies to improve their education. They will indeed play an active role in their education, which relies on applied and interdisciplinary learning strategies. To understand the complexity of the world, in fact, students must possess a range of skills across different subject areas and distinct departments. The departments of Sociology and Engineering work together in this project and have established a solid relationship with the International Solidarity Training Centre».
Sara Ferrari, Provincial Councillor for University, research, and development cooperation, welcomed the launch of the new programme. «Cross-sector skills acquired in different areas are crucial in a region like ours, which invests a lot in education and needs to count on people with skills in global citizenship in order to be competitive. The Autonomous Province of Trento encouraged a series of initiatives in this direction at different levels: from projects with school children to renew the programmes, to support to university students to raise awareness on the context in which they will put to profit their knowledge and skills. Our strength lies in the network of relationships that has its roots in our long tradition of associationism, with 265 volunteering organizations in a region that counts 500,000 inhabitants».
«Many university students participate enthusiastically in the courses and activities we offer at the International Solidarity Training Centre – explained its president, Paolo Tonelli. We live in a “global village” and training in solidarity is rewarding, in particular in these times in which it is difficult to promote an international dialogue. This programme will pass on to these young students the positive values and strengths that we must safeguard and defend that nourish our hopes for a better future».
The details of the programme’s objectives and schedule were given by Marco Tubino, president of the scientific committee of the CFSI and director of DICAM: «This programme is different from other honours programmes in terms of contents and learning modes. It aims at strengthening the students’ abilities to work in a group and in a shared environment, to communicate, identify and solve problems. But it also examines the complexity of today’s world and intends to develop their ability to learn about other people, different people, other places. Education to global citizenship and to sustainability are key to shorten the distance between world of work and university life».
Talete was set in motion by a series of training and guidance initiatives organized back in 2005 with the collaboration of the department of Sociology and Social Research. «The ability to read social reality – stressed director Mario Diani – must be matched with technical skills. There is a balance between these two aspects and that’s where this project is set, with its objective of making young people, the professionals of the future, aware of different points of view».
The morning continued with a special lecture (“Immaginare il mondo per costruirlo”) with Carla Locatelli (Professor at the Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, and member of the scientific committee of CFSI) and Andrea Segrè (President of Fondazione Edmund Mach). In his speech, Andrea Segrè underlined the paradoxes of the food industry at global level: «First of all, the number of obese people on the planet is almost double than the number of starving people, and a significant part of food production is used to feed animals or to fill car tanks with biofuel. The most apparent paradox - added professor Segrè - is that of food waste: 50% of the world’s population could live off the food that is wasted. It is clear that we need to abandon the model of linear growth, which is unsustainable, to adopt a circular model, in which we can give value to what we produce and consume».
«Today, collaboration has become a challenge, a bet we must win» commented Carla Locatelli in her speech directed in particular to the ten students who will be the first to take this programme. «And the challenge is to use our brains so that the world can go on. Collaboration must be accepted and understood, because today it cannot be seen as an unnecessary luxury, but rather as a requirement for the survival of the Earth, its protection, and preservation. And that takes time and space. Everything relentlessly changes in the present, because relations and interdependencies between humans and cultural phenomena change as we change our views on our planet and the universe. We need a global vision, international awareness and openness to infinite opportunities to come up with creative ideas for the future, because these “conscience” factors - vision, awareness, openness - take into account the possible links among cognitive, economic, financial, anthropological and social factors. Cultural education to solidarity teaches to choose negotiation instead of violence. To negotiate instead of ignoring. To negotiate for the respect of everyone’s rights, and to demand that everyone shares these values».