Innovation and social work
Class: LM-87 R -
For Academic Year 2026/2027, you will need to submit your application within one of the following calls:
- Call One: 2 November 2025 – 2 February 2026
- Call Two: 2 March 2026 – 2 May 2026
- Call Three: 2 June 2025 – 2 August 2026 (only for EU students and non-EU students residing in Italy)
At the heart of this course is the study of social innovation, not only in its theoretical and practical aspects related to social policies and the programming and management of services, but also in its training of key emerging issues and problems such as social impact assessment, restorative justice, personalization, and enablement through social services. The course emphasizes an international approach that will prepare students for the profession of specialized social worker, after passing the State Exam, but which will also allow them to fulfil the tasks needed at managerial levels and through the evaluation of social policies and services needed to operate various public and private organizations.
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Characteristics and objectives
The program trains specialist social workers, preparing them to take on coordination roles within social service systems. At the core of the educational framework lies social innovation, conceived as a key driver for the renewal and transformation of social services. The curriculum offers an in-depth and advanced analysis of critical areas for professional social work practice, including the analysis of socio-cultural change, social policies, and the planning and evaluation of social interventions. Alongside theoretical knowledge, the programme fosters the development of practical and professional skills necessary to design social interventions through the identification and interpretation of the needs of individuals, families, and communities, as well as to assess their efficiency and effectiveness. In this perspective, special attention is devoted to social research methodologies and to a personalised approach to service provision, articulated on two interrelated levels: on the one hand, it supports the design of individualized interventions tailored to the specific needs, resources, and life goals of service users, in alignment with the principles of capability and self-determination; on the other hand, it acknowledges and promotes the active involvement of users in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of services, through participatory practices oriented toward co-design and inclusive governance.
Occupational opportunities
The primary goal is to become a qualified social worker – after passing the required State examination.
The Program also offers valid training for other professional figures in the field of planning, managing and evaluating social policy and social services at various territorial levels and in multiple organizational settings, in the public, private, and non-profit sector.
