Studying in Prison
The University of Milan is committed to ensuring incarcerated and jailed persons have the right to study at a university, and more generally, to improve their quality of life. With cultural programmes, and activities that cultivate an interest in science, made possible through an Agreement signed with the Regional Procurement Office for the Department of Corrections (“PRAP”), first in December 2015, and then renewed in 2018 and 2021, this pledge has become a reality.
The persons detained at correctional centres in the region wishing to undertake a course of university studies can now:
- enrol in one of the accessible courses with subsidised tuition rates
- attend workshops and educational seminars onsite at the correctional facilities
- take advantage of tutor services to help them in their studies
- access the campus’ library network with special borrowing privileges
- sit for exams for academic credit and to earn a degree within the correctional facility, should they be unable to secure a day pass.
Contacts
- Chiara Dell’Oca, Office manager
[email protected] - Caterina Lusiani
[email protected] - Giulia Di Donato
[email protected]
Prof. Stefano Simonetta
[email protected]
Each year, the University of Milan offers workshops and teaching modules that bring together incarcerated students and regular students, with the aim to give detainees the opportunity to experience university life and foster meaningful interaction between the university community and the prison population.
In addition, the University has established a network of tutors to support the academic journey of students in prison. This cross-disciplinary network has grown significantly over the years, both in size and in the quality of support it provides, becoming a key point of reference at the national level. Today, it is the largest network of academic tutors working in prisons in Italy and one of the most extensive in the world.
The University of Milan has strengthened its commitment towards individuals subjected to measures restricting their personal liberty, by creating a dedicated office — the Prison Project Office — making it the first and currently only university in Italy to do so.
