Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Paolo Gentiloni, Minister for Education, Universities and Research Stefania Giannini and President of the Fondazione CRUI (conference of Italian university deans) Angelo Riccaboni signed an accord this afternoon at the Farnesina on a programme of curricular internships at Italian diplomatic missions. The initiative, which garnered ample consensus in parliament, is for university students nearing graduation who aspire to diplomatic or international careers, and it falls within the scope of the campaign to promote Italy’s candidacy for the Security Council. Thanks to this programme, up to 400 students will be able to have an experience at Italian diplomatic missions abroad between 31 October and 31 December 2015. The interns will receive quarterly bursaries for a minimum of 400 EUR monthly.
“This convention relaunches the internship programme for university students at our foreign missions”, Minister Gentiloni asserted. “The students will have an opportunity to participate in our foreign missions efforts within the context of promoting Italy’s candidacy for the Security Council. Collaboration with MIUR will allow for co-financing the programme, whose realization will be ensured by the precious contribution of the Fondazione CRUI in selecting the most deserving candidates. The initiative has been strongly supported by the government, which has established a dedicated fund, in order to offer young people new and attractive formative opportunities”.
“These internships are an extraordinary learning opportunity for our students”, Minister Stefania Giannini underscored. “The programme came out of a solid collaboration between institutions concerned with enhancing our students’ talents. Selection will be on the basis of the candidate’s university curriculum, and the most motivated will have access to the internships. We are very satisfied with these results, which will make it possible for hundreds of young people to enrich their curricula through a valuable learning experience”.
“I would like to thank the foreign and education ministries for the sensitivity they demonstrated in reproposing a programme of such high cultural and educational value”, concluded Fondazione CRUI President Angelo Riccaboni. “Indeed, these internships will offer our students further stimulus to broaden their international horizons and be an excellent opportunity for encounter”.
