On Tuesday 9 May, at the ITCILO’s Conference Centre, the Turin School of Development celebrated its Academic Day, acknowledging the Masters’ Programmes organized by the ILO’s International Training Centre, in partnership with the University of Turin and the Politecnico of Turin and with the support of the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation.

The ceremony was attended by the Director a.i. of ITCILO and Director of the School, Giuseppe Casale, the Rector of the University of Turin, Stefano Geuna, the Rector of the Politecnico of Turin, Guido Saracco, the Principal Director for Migration Issues and International Mobility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Stefano Bianchi, the Councillor for Financial budget of the Piedmont Region, Andrea Tronzano, the Mayor of the City of Turin, Stefano Lo Russo, the President of Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, Francesco Profumo, the Professor Emeritus of the Università Cattolica of Milan, Tiziano Treu, and the participants of the Masters’ programmes currently on campus.

In the last few years, with the involvement of UN agencies and renowned worldwide universities and thanks to the continuous support of the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, the School has confirmed its growing reputation and international outreach. The TSD covers areas such as international trade law, social innovation, technology and public policy, development management, occupational safety and health, public procurement and industrial relations. The expertise and the related research activities, combined with the multicultural spirit of the Turin campus, make the Turin School of Development a distinctive programme in the panorama of international education.

More than 3,700 students from all over the world have obtained a Master degree.

In the words of Ms Neda from Iran, participant in the Master in Management of Development:

“I found that people were genuinely interested in my situation and took the time to understand my unique circumstances. [..] Empathy and care might be concepts that we talk about in our studies, but I realized that here, those concepts are not abstract, they are lived experiences. And that made me love this place."

In the words of Mr Simon Madjie from Ghana, participant in the Master in International Trade Law:

“One of the most significant benefits of studying at the Turin School of Development is the opportunity to learn in an atmosphere that is rich in cultural diversity. [..] We are participants from different parts of the world and we have come together to share our experiences and to learn from each other in order to create a diverse and dynamic learning community. [..] This has been a wonderful opportunity to learn! Along with gaining useful knowledge, my colleagues and I have also grown more assured in our knowledge of international trade law. One of the best world class LLM programs out there is this one!”