The University of Turin promotes six international Winter Schools dedicated to the UNITA Research Hubs, creating new opportunities for students, PhD candidates, researchers, academic staff and professional staff to collaborate across disciplines, institutions and national borders.
The initiative represents one of the flagship actions through which UniTo is strengthening its research community while promoting science diplomacy as a key instrument for international dialogue, cooperation and societal impact.
The programme is closely aligned with the University of Turin’s institutional commitment to science diplomacy. In recent years, UniTo has made science diplomacy one of its strategic priorities by joining the EU Science Diplomacy Alliance and establishing the UniTo Hub on Science Diplomacy. This vision expands the role of research beyond the generation of scientific knowledge, recognising it as a powerful catalyst for addressing societal challenges, building trust, fostering international dialogue, promoting the responsible sharing of knowledge, and supporting evidence-informed policymaking at local, national and European levels.
The series was inaugurated by the 5th edition of the Université d’Été – Valorizzazione dei beni culturali del territorio per un turismo responsabile in area transfrontaliera, in the framework of the Cultural heritage UNITA Research Hub, taking place from 24 to 29 August 2026 in Sant’Anna di Valdieri, in the Italian Maritime Alps.
Around 35 participants from UNITA universities explored the challenges and opportunities of cross-border mountain territories through an interdisciplinary programme combining lectures, workshops, field visits and collaborative project work. Bringing together perspectives from the humanities, social sciences and environmental studies, the School offers an ideal example of how research, education and local communities can interact to generate knowledge with tangible societal impact.
Building on this first event, five additional Schools will take place in December 2026. Organised by the Hub communities and involving researchers from across the Alliance, the Schools will become spaces where scientific collaboration meets intercultural dialogue, encouraging participants to develop new research networks while exploring the diplomatic dimension of scientific cooperation.
Together, these six Schools embody UNITA’s vision of a European university alliance where research not only advances knowledge but also contributes to building stronger international partnerships, informing public policies and addressing shared societal challenges. By placing science diplomacy at the heart of the initiative, the University of Turin reaffirms its commitment to fostering an open, collaborative and globally connected research community.
