This delicate phase has inevitably brought out new situations of economic difficulty for many families, as well as made it impossible for many students to continue working to finance their studies. Opera has identified these two additional interventions to support its students in their right to study:
- A measure to support all scholarship recipients affected by this emergency that experienced a significant reduction in family income (-25%). It is addressed to the 2,300 scholarship recipients for the 2019/2020 academic year, who are facing the crisis in a worsened family condition. It provides for an increase of 10% of the amount of the scholarship already received, estimated on average in the order of 400 euros.
- A measure to encourage students' residency within Opera's housing structures, which entails providing, from April to August, an additional rent contribution of 50 € / month, up to a maximum of 250 €. This intervention aims to encourage the presence of the student community in the area, at a time when UniTrento is carrying out teaching and exams remotely and is busy reorganizing teaching for next autumn, so that it can take place in compliance with the health safety indications.
This dual intervention, in addition to supporting any situations of economic difficulty, is also aimed at keeping the network of relationships of non-resident students living in San Bartolameo and Mayer residences vital and active.
"We believe it is necessary - explained the president of Opera Universitaria Maria Laura Frigotto - to support students in maintaining a relationship with the territory and with its actors, to build those bonds that represent an opportunity for young people to get in touch with the local economic fabric , with a view to future employment, as well as to enrich the territory with new skills and professions. The university community - continued the president - must be nourished and looked at in the perspective of a future in which it will be possible to regain possession of our daily life, even if in a different way from how we lived it before. We do not want young people to feel this moment represents a fracture in their studies, but a bridge towards a new normality, in which there will be different ways of interacting, including in person."
"Through these measures aimed at supporting students in their right to study - concluded Frigotto - Opera aims to give a push to the entire student community residency matter. It is a decisive matter not only to provide timely answers to the emergency situation we are experiencing and to support the continuity and excellence of our university, but also to take to heart the future of young people and our territory. For this reason, we have proposed to activate a round table with subjects operating in the student residences and student rentals sector, in order to look for solutions and ideas that can safeguard everyone's interests and contribute to the well-being of our territory.
The Councilor for education, university and culture, Mirko Bisesti, who will participate in the meeting of Opera Universitaria Board, underlined the importance of the interventions meant to provide a first response to guarantee the right to study: “With this first intervention we wanted to support those students that are most in difficulty because of the health crisis we are experiencing. As provincial administration, we are aware of the importance of the right to study, also as a driving force for social development and growth for the city ". Moreover, the round table that will be convened in the coming days will serve to consider solutions that may perhaps already be integrated to the initiative under discussion.
Traduzione a cura di Opera Universitaria
