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Milan is Italy’s main university city – a prominent position that demands housing, services and good policies

Milan already possesses several notable roles – related to the economy, culture (with its outstanding theatres and museums), the publishing industry, an efficient healthcare system, fashion and design – and can now boasts of yet another distinction: it’s the main university city in Italy, counting 211,000 enrolled students – a third coming from other Italian regions and 11% from abroad. An attractive city, then, not merely for wealth, businesses and ideas but also for enterprising young people looking for better study, employment and life opportunities.

Life opportunities? Now, here’s the catch: does Milan actually still offer opportunities for a better life? Can an attractive city also be really inclusive?

Milan always embodied a welcoming and supportive attitude, starting with the edict issued by Archbishop Heribert of Antimiano in 1018 (“Those who know how to work hard should come to Milan. And those who come to Milan are free individuals”) and up to the 1980s, the grand buoyant era of “Milan is for drinking” (paraphrasing Marco Mignani’s extraordinary advertising campaign for herbal liqueur Amaro Ramazzotti, which epitomised bustling vibrancy and sophisticated elegance, as well as precious civic values). Now, however, as witnessed by the criticism and self-criticism prevalent on printed newspapers (including the latest wonderful issue of Città – Cities – recently published and presented at the Franco Parenti Theatre) and on digital media, a growing unease is spreading – about a widening social divide, the contrast between glaring luxury trends (rapidly soaring property values, cost of life, gaudy consumption goods) and the hardships bearing down on both the working and middle classes.

“Here’s Milan, city of luxury: students’ tents and the former Seminary’s hotel suites. And the new poor flee” was the headline in Corriere della Sera (26 May), a piece disclosing the costs and opulence of a super hotel on Corso Venezia, erected where the austere Archiepiscopal Seminary used to be.

And yet, “students’ tents”, too – so much so for those above-mentioned prominent roles and contradictions of this university town. Students pitched tents in front of the Polytechnic, to protest against high rents and the poor life conditions they are experiencing in Milan – students who, considering the dynamics existing between Milan, Italy and the world, could well represent a driving force for development – for sustainable, environmental and social development, in fact, if these same students succeed in harnessing those Milanese traditions combining productivity and civic responsibility, competitiveness and solidarity. Traditions that, nowadays, are in shambles.

There are issues affecting the link between future opportunities and academic content (as Italian President Sergio Mattarella aptly reminded us, recalling the figure of Don Milani in the 100th anniversary of his birth as he reiterated the significance of quality education as a learning tool for acquiring notions pertaining to the common good and civic responsibility). And, further, current figures are problematic: Italy has too few graduates and too many “NEET” (young people not engaged in education, employment or training), too many people with decreasing literacy skills and too many high school graduates unable to adequately understand a text and perform average mathematical tasks (as mentioned in last week’s blog). Thus, in such a context, the protest organised by Milanese students and the criticism on the future of education – occurring in Italy’s main university city – forces us to reflect on a phenomenon that’s not localised at all but affects the whole country.

But let’s take a better look at the data concerning Milan’s academic nature – data collected and analysed by MHEO (Milan Higher Education Observatory), a body founded by the University of Milan in collaboration with CINECA University Consortium and Deloitte, which is part of the MUSA (Multilayered Urban Sustainable Action) ecosystem of technology and sustainable innovation project connected to the PNRR (Italian recovery and resilience plan) Education and Research Mission (a mission that should lead to the achievement of ambitious reform goals and more effective education in Italy).

After scrutinising fully up-to-date (up to 2022) official data, MHEO reported that the Lombardy region features 65 tertiary education institutions (the same number as in the whole of Portugal), including 15 universities (8 in Milan), 15 AFAM (Higher Education for Art, Music and Dance institutions, such as the Brera Academy and the Conservatory) and 24 ITS Academies (Higher Technical Institutes, which are rapidly expanding also thanks to initiative implemented by companies in need of a quality workforce with solid technical and scientific skills).

MHEO’s data further reveals that the 211,000 “Milanese” students amount to 12.1% of all Italian university students over the three years of study (to which can be added another 6.8% of students from the Lombardy region) and 14.7% of students enrolled on Master’s degrees. In terms of enrolment numbers, the top four universities include the University of Milan, the Polytechnic of Milan and the Università Cattolica of Milan, while the fourth is eCampus, an online university, which reveals a growing trend towards “remote education” – a phenomenon whose growth we should keep an eye on (during the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown acted as an accelerator).

There’s one more piece of data to be considered: in Milan, there’s only one programme without an enrolment cap – all others apply a restricted number policy. This illustrates the difficulty that universities and other academies are experiencing in dealing with too many requests from both Italian and international applicants (the most sought-after universities are the Polytechnic and the Bocconi University).

The issues brought to light by this data, and by the student protests, are plain to see, then: how to deal with such interest, and which services does it entail? Milan’s attractiveness is certainly a source of social, cultural and civic wealth yet, over time, it might turn the tables on Milan and reduce it to a space for non-resident “city users”, where one may gain an education and flee immediately after.

The aim, then, should be that of reviving the city’s supportive nature and its strong traditions rooted in reforms and industry, by embracing the teachings of “industrial humanism”, which nowadays is evolving into “digital humanism” – teachings that permeate our best enterprises and the practices of a productive middle class marked by a powerful civic attitude. We should put an end to – or at least restrain, as much as possible – this wave of exasperating “events” that are turning Milan into “a large display window, a humongous performance” (a sharp outline by sociologist Giampaolo Nuvolati, la Repubblica, 28 May).

Hence, this is a challenge on cultural, political and social levels. A challenge that demands urban redevelopment (we could wisely profit from the opportunities offered by those large former industrial areas currently under regeneration and redesign, which include Milan’s seven old railway hubs). A challenge that necessitates new housing policies (to oppose, or at least restrict, “short-term rentals” aimed at “touch and go” tourism – policies that, incidentally, have already been implemented in Paris and Berlin, with positive results), as well as transport structures and services. In order to make Milan liveable, accessible, stimulating – for its students, too – as well as welcoming, attractive and inclusive.

The future, as we all know, lies in the opportunities entailed by the knowledge economy, and the whole Italian industry is going in that direction. Milan, Italy’s main university city, cannot waste the chance to become its driving force, acting within a virtuous network system engaging other Italian and European universities.

(photo Getty Images)

Milan already possesses several notable roles – related to the economy, culture (with its outstanding theatres and museums), the publishing industry, an efficient healthcare system, fashion and design – and can now boasts of yet another distinction: it’s the main university city in Italy, counting 211,000 enrolled students – a third coming from other Italian regions and 11% from abroad. An attractive city, then, not merely for wealth, businesses and ideas but also for enterprising young people looking for better study, employment and life opportunities.

Life opportunities? Now, here’s the catch: does Milan actually still offer opportunities for a better life? Can an attractive city also be really inclusive?

Milan always embodied a welcoming and supportive attitude, starting with the edict issued by Archbishop Heribert of Antimiano in 1018 (“Those who know how to work hard should come to Milan. And those who come to Milan are free individuals”) and up to the 1980s, the grand buoyant era of “Milan is for drinking” (paraphrasing Marco Mignani’s extraordinary advertising campaign for herbal liqueur Amaro Ramazzotti, which epitomised bustling vibrancy and sophisticated elegance, as well as precious civic values). Now, however, as witnessed by the criticism and self-criticism prevalent on printed newspapers (including the latest wonderful issue of Città – Cities – recently published and presented at the Franco Parenti Theatre) and on digital media, a growing unease is spreading – about a widening social divide, the contrast between glaring luxury trends (rapidly soaring property values, cost of life, gaudy consumption goods) and the hardships bearing down on both the working and middle classes.

“Here’s Milan, city of luxury: students’ tents and the former Seminary’s hotel suites. And the new poor flee” was the headline in Corriere della Sera (26 May), a piece disclosing the costs and opulence of a super hotel on Corso Venezia, erected where the austere Archiepiscopal Seminary used to be.

And yet, “students’ tents”, too – so much so for those above-mentioned prominent roles and contradictions of this university town. Students pitched tents in front of the Polytechnic, to protest against high rents and the poor life conditions they are experiencing in Milan – students who, considering the dynamics existing between Milan, Italy and the world, could well represent a driving force for development – for sustainable, environmental and social development, in fact, if these same students succeed in harnessing those Milanese traditions combining productivity and civic responsibility, competitiveness and solidarity. Traditions that, nowadays, are in shambles.

There are issues affecting the link between future opportunities and academic content (as Italian President Sergio Mattarella aptly reminded us, recalling the figure of Don Milani in the 100th anniversary of his birth as he reiterated the significance of quality education as a learning tool for acquiring notions pertaining to the common good and civic responsibility). And, further, current figures are problematic: Italy has too few graduates and too many “NEET” (young people not engaged in education, employment or training), too many people with decreasing literacy skills and too many high school graduates unable to adequately understand a text and perform average mathematical tasks (as mentioned in last week’s blog). Thus, in such a context, the protest organised by Milanese students and the criticism on the future of education – occurring in Italy’s main university city – forces us to reflect on a phenomenon that’s not localised at all but affects the whole country.

But let’s take a better look at the data concerning Milan’s academic nature – data collected and analysed by MHEO (Milan Higher Education Observatory), a body founded by the University of Milan in collaboration with CINECA University Consortium and Deloitte, which is part of the MUSA (Multilayered Urban Sustainable Action) ecosystem of technology and sustainable innovation project connected to the PNRR (Italian recovery and resilience plan) Education and Research Mission (a mission that should lead to the achievement of ambitious reform goals and more effective education in Italy).

After scrutinising fully up-to-date (up to 2022) official data, MHEO reported that the Lombardy region features 65 tertiary education institutions (the same number as in the whole of Portugal), including 15 universities (8 in Milan), 15 AFAM (Higher Education for Art, Music and Dance institutions, such as the Brera Academy and the Conservatory) and 24 ITS Academies (Higher Technical Institutes, which are rapidly expanding also thanks to initiative implemented by companies in need of a quality workforce with solid technical and scientific skills).

MHEO’s data further reveals that the 211,000 “Milanese” students amount to 12.1% of all Italian university students over the three years of study (to which can be added another 6.8% of students from the Lombardy region) and 14.7% of students enrolled on Master’s degrees. In terms of enrolment numbers, the top four universities include the University of Milan, the Polytechnic of Milan and the Università Cattolica of Milan, while the fourth is eCampus, an online university, which reveals a growing trend towards “remote education” – a phenomenon whose growth we should keep an eye on (during the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown acted as an accelerator).

There’s one more piece of data to be considered: in Milan, there’s only one programme without an enrolment cap – all others apply a restricted number policy. This illustrates the difficulty that universities and other academies are experiencing in dealing with too many requests from both Italian and international applicants (the most sought-after universities are the Polytechnic and the Bocconi University).

The issues brought to light by this data, and by the student protests, are plain to see, then: how to deal with such interest, and which services does it entail? Milan’s attractiveness is certainly a source of social, cultural and civic wealth yet, over time, it might turn the tables on Milan and reduce it to a space for non-resident “city users”, where one may gain an education and flee immediately after.

The aim, then, should be that of reviving the city’s supportive nature and its strong traditions rooted in reforms and industry, by embracing the teachings of “industrial humanism”, which nowadays is evolving into “digital humanism” – teachings that permeate our best enterprises and the practices of a productive middle class marked by a powerful civic attitude. We should put an end to – or at least restrain, as much as possible – this wave of exasperating “events” that are turning Milan into “a large display window, a humongous performance” (a sharp outline by sociologist Giampaolo Nuvolati, la Repubblica, 28 May).

Hence, this is a challenge on cultural, political and social levels. A challenge that demands urban redevelopment (we could wisely profit from the opportunities offered by those large former industrial areas currently under regeneration and redesign, which include Milan’s seven old railway hubs). A challenge that necessitates new housing policies (to oppose, or at least restrict, “short-term rentals” aimed at “touch and go” tourism – policies that, incidentally, have already been implemented in Paris and Berlin, with positive results), as well as transport structures and services. In order to make Milan liveable, accessible, stimulating – for its students, too – as well as welcoming, attractive and inclusive.

The future, as we all know, lies in the opportunities entailed by the knowledge economy, and the whole Italian industry is going in that direction. Milan, Italy’s main university city, cannot waste the chance to become its driving force, acting within a virtuous network system engaging other Italian and European universities.

(photo Getty Images)