To enjoy the most your period at UNIPD, you should first build connections with the city. The starting point for that is to familiarise with the Italian language and customs. Speaking the language opens many doors to interact and get to know locals and, consequently, connect with the place you are living in.
As an international student, it is essential to be open to know different cultures, not only the Italian one. Be ready to face cultural shock and linguistic misunderstandings. To deal with that, one should learn to respect and value differences and be interested in other people’s cultural practices. Besides all the theoretical and specialised knowledge, dealing with diversity was the greatest lesson I took from my master’s course period.
Additionally, establishing a healthy balance between personal and academic life is crucial. The Italian system can be very competitive and focused on grades, but do not be overwhelmed and find time enjoy your life in Padova. Also, be open to extra-curricular opportunities since they complement the mandatory courses and help you to design academic and professional paths that makes more sense for you. Those activities are also very nice to meet people from other programmes, other professors (or to get closer with professors from your program) and even from other universities.
I truly believe that the University should be seen as an extended experience of in-class activities, extra-class events, and of the enjoyment of the city.

After 3 years of working as a lawyer and facing situations of injustice and gaps within criminal justice system, I decided to focus on Human Rights and do something that was already a dream of mine: to study abroad. While searching for a master program in Human Rights, I found the University of Padova. The programme called my attention for its interdisciplinarity and the blend of theoretical and practical courses. Additionally, being awarded with the Padua International Excellence was decisive on accepting my place in the program, since it made possible to quit my job and move abroad to fully dedicate myself to the master.
The programme was, in parts, what I expected, in special the combination of legal, political sciences and economy courses. What surprised me was the multiplicity of professional backgrounds and nationalities of my colleagues and the rich discussions this diversity always brought to classes. This has taught me to value differences and made me realise how many interesting and creative solutions arise from a diverse environment. In addition, I took advantage of many extra-curricular activities offered, such as live simulation courses, study groups, and advocacy seminars which made my experience at UNIPD even richer.
Concerning my experience of living in Padova, besides being a charming city, filled with beautiful historical buildings and piazzas, the city combines the traditional Italian culture and a young and diverse university environment with international students from worldwide. It was possible to both dive into Italian culture, and to get to know students from all around the world .

Besides mandatory courses, I took part in the UN-based Simulation “Padova Model UPR”, first as a participant, and in the following edition as part of the organisational team. From February to November of 2021 a group of students, under the coordination of Professor Paolo de Stefani, dealt with all the matters concerning the establishment of the simulation, from drafting the Handbook, which was published in the United Nations Human Rights office, to the practical aspect of the simulation.
I also participated in the Advocacy Seminar organized by Scholars at Risk Italy. The seminar was a great opportunity to learn about the importance of academic freedom and to develop advocacy campaigns that involve the community and government representatives. In that year, we advocated for the freedom of Ahmad Reza Djalali and Patrick Zaki, a professor and a student illegally arrested in Iran and in Egypt, respectively. The students from the seminar also organized an in-person event, the first edition of Advocacy Day, to raise awareness on the topics mentioned.
Additionally, from August to November of 2022, I worked as a Tutor buddy of Refugee students from Ukraine and Afghanistan and as an academic tutor of the master program HRMLG. While I was concluding my master’s thesis, I also took part in the PhD Summer Course on Human Rights and Innovation. The experience was essential to figure out how to develop my research topic and to exchange ideas with master and PhD students from all over the world.
In November 29, I had the honor to deliver a speech for the “Award of the 2022 HRG Prize for the Contribution to the Defense and Advancement of Human Rights and the Rule of Law” to Judge Paulo Pinto de Albuquerque, former Judge of the European Court of Human Rights.
My last activity as master student was the presentation of a report of a research project in partnership with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The Project was a follow-up activity for students that participated in the Live Simulation Course "Combating Human Trafficking Along Mediterranean Migration Routes" that took place in Vicenza, Italy. The research took a year and comprised an analysis of the legislative framework (national and international), action plans and relevant case examples of Human Trafficking from across the OSCE region.