University Orientation School 2025: first contact with university for 180 students in their fourth year of high school

The 2025 edition of the University Orientation School is kicking off, an important opportunity for 180 students at the end of their fourth year of high school to learn about the academic world. The initiative, promoted jointly by the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, represents a decisive moment to encourage discussion, reflection, and the discovery of new interests, and to support the younger generation in making a mature and informed choice about their university studies.
The University Orientation School program includes two events: from June 24 to 27, 100 students will participate in the first course scheduled at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies; from July 13 to 16, another 80 students will attend the second course scheduled at the Scuola Normale Superiore.

Lectures, round tables, and workshops for a training course on the major issues of our time

The activities, which are completely free of charge, include lectures, round tables, thematic workshops, and graduate talks, designed jointly by the Scuola Normale Superiore and the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna. The educational program covers topics of great current scientific and social relevance, ranging from renewable energy to migration, from the regulation of innovation in digital health to the measurement of well-being, including mathematical models, biodiversity, philosophy, and the challenges of democracy. Through a multidisciplinary and interactive approach, students will have the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research, explore different areas of knowledge, and orient themselves critically and consciously towards their academic future.

The collegiate experience

During their stay, students will live in close contact with the academic community, immersing themselves in the collegiate experience of the two institutions. This stimulating environment will encourage discussion, personal growth, and the exploration of their aspirations.

The University Orientation School thus confirms its role as an important initiative for bringing new generations closer to the university world, offering useful tools for making informed choices about their future. The collaboration between the Scuola Normale and the Scuola Sant'Anna underscores their shared commitment to promoting educational excellence and supporting young people in their educational and intellectual growth.

"Although the University Orientation School has a history spanning more than twenty years, the reasons for providing tools to help students make informed choices in the complex world of higher education are certainly no less relevant today. Meetings with teachers and researchers, professional testimonials from former students, and direct interaction with students from the Sant'Anna School and the Scuola Normale will allow participants to better understand their interests and aptitudes, helping them to discover their motivations for choosing a university course," said Edoardo Bressanelli, Pro-Rector for Orientation and Social Mobility at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies.

“This is a unique opportunity that will give 180 students from all over Italy the chance to be hosted by two of Italy's most prestigious universities and to experience what it means to study in a community and collegial environment, characterized by exchange and research,” says Stefania Pastore, orientation delegate at the Normale. "We wanted to create a structure that is as open and interactive as possible: with lectures that will give young people the opportunity to orient themselves in the plurality of university courses, to listen to lectures on different subjects and topics, and to meet and interact with scholars of the highest level, but also to put themselves to the test with workshops and seminars. We want to stimulate curiosity, spark new interests, and also give them a taste of the scientific and community life of these two great ‘special status universities,’ which are unique in the Italian university system."