Università Cattaneo – LIUC is actively engaged in achieving the full development of the human person, participation in the labour market, and the exercise of individual freedoms through university education. Therefore, it promotes an inclusive teaching model that values diversity and promotes the autonomy and abilities of a student, thus reducing inequalities.
In compliance with the provisions of art. 1 of Law 17/99, and also through its own specific planning, starting from 2019 the Università has prepared a specific service aimed at the inclusion of any student with a disability and/or SLD, and others with frailty also on a psychological level, in order to reduce inequalities and remove obstacles that prevent a capable and willing student from pursuing a degree course.
The Università’s Inclusion Service is therefore divided into two specialist areas of pedagogical (Pedagogical Consulting Service) and psychological (Counselling & Well-being) counselling. The Disability and SLD Inclusion Service is coordinated by the Rector’s delegate for disability and SLD, a role that is currently held by Prof. Eliana Minelli.
Pedagogical Consulting Service
The Pedagogical Consultancy Service makes use of a dedicated professional structure, the Pedagogical ‘Team’, which interfaces with the Student Secretariat and with all other support services, such as Orientation, Right to Education, Internship & Placement, and International Relations, in order to ensure a student with a disability and/or SLD a profitable learning experience as well as adequate preparation to face the labour market. The consultancy activities are managed by the Pedagogists, Dr. Daniela Mazzara and Dr. Maria Carruba.
1) The “philosophy” of the service
One of the objectives of the pedagogical advice, guaranteed by the Inclusion Service, is to accompany a student in dealing with the change from their high school to the Università.
In fact, enrollment on a degree course provides for the assumption of a greater awareness of a student who undertakes a higher education path for which neither exemptions nor forms of reduction of the educational objectives can be provided. A student, therefore, may turn to the pedagogical consultancy service in order to choose the most suitable Università path, have support with respect to the study method and exam planning, and identify the necessary measures to attend lessons and take exams. At any time of the year, a student may request an appointment with the pedagogists, in order to receive personalised support, by writing to inclusione@liuc.it.
Equivalent compensatory measures (such as additional time, technical aids and tools, presence of communication assistants, etc.) will be assessed in a personalised way, exclusively during the pedagogical counselling course.
In this regard, it is emphasised that the use of particular ‘equivalent measures’ tools, such as concept maps/schemes/word lists, is limited to the first year of a three-year degree. Any requests for out-of-call exams will not be accepted or changes in the way the exams are carried out, except in very exceptional cases that will, in any case, be appropriately assessed by the Inclusion Service.
Tutoring activities, guaranteed by a students’ high school, do not fall within the consultancy.
2) Intervention procedures and access regulation
A student who decides to use the Inclusion Service in order to obtain the pedagogical mediation and the necessary equivalent measures should complete a request for each exam (partial or total) via a digital collection form, within 15 working days (three calendar weeks) before any examination. The link to access the digital form is always visible on the page of the website dedicated to the Service.
Any foreign student, while staying at the Università, will have direct access to the Pedagogical Consultancy Service, in order to obtain the equivalent measures, by making an appointment; writing to inclusione@liuc.it at least 15 working days before the exam.
In conjunction with the Università’s closures, the timing for completing the form may be subject to changes that will, in any case, be communicated via email and updated on the website. If a student needs equivalent tools, together with the form, they should send them in PDF format via email (inclusione@liuc.it). The pedagogical team will manage all the necessary mediations with teachers.
3) How to contact/where to find us (virtually and in person)
The Inclusion Service is also intended for a student who attends a mobility period for study purposes at the Università. A student wishing to use the Inclusion Service should be in possession of documentation certifying their special educational need and/or letter of presentation from their home Università to be shared with the Inclusion Service at inclusione@liuc.it and with the International Relations Office (international@liuc.it).
For an initial administrative contact, a student should contact Dr. Elena Tosi at the Student Secretariat or send an email to the Inclusion Service address. To contact the pedagogists, a student should request an appointment by email at inclusione@liuc.it.
Interviews with pedagogical consultants may be face to face, or remote via Microsoft Teams.
4) Short presentation of the pedagogical ‘Team’
The management of pedagogical advice is entrusted to Dr. Daniela Mazzara and Dr. Maria Carruba, who specialise in assisting any student with special needs.
Specifically, the consultants deal with:
- Orientation for 1st year students: support of a student in choosing the most suitable Degree Course and useful strategies for undertaking the university path.
- Pedagogical consultancy service (through individual interviews and group meetings): didactic mediation with respect to the needs of a student for attending courses and passing exams.
- Consultancy to reflect on the personal Study Method and to identify the most effective teaching strategies for a student’s educational success.
To contact the consultants, an appointment should be made by email at inclusione@liuc.it.
Counselling and Well-being Service
The Counselling and Well-being Service is aimed at a student who requires discussion and support in relation to the planning of concrete actions in order to achieve personal goals relative to their Università path, as well as the management of critical factors in the emotional, relational, affective, scholastic, and family environment of a student. The Service is managed by Dr. Alessandra Massironi.
1) The “philosophy” of the service
The Counselling and Wellbeing Service presents an educational approach and constitutes a complementary proposal to teaching. Through it, one of the fundamental values of the Università model is expressed: training effectively means encouraging the acquisition of skills, knowledge, highly specialised tools without neglecting awareness and transversal skills that make it possible to “remain” appropriately with oneself and in the relationship within social and organisational contexts.
According to this vision, aimed at a complete university training model, the activities of the Counselling and Well-Being Service are carried out in constant coordination with the teaching and organisational levels of the Università.
2) Intervention procedures and access regulation
The Service takes place both individually and in group mode.
- The student reception for individual counselling focuses on the discussion on:
attitude towards study, motivation and personal and career goals;
planning of concrete actions to achieve the objectives set;
effective strategies to face new situations (internships, Erasmus, Exchange …), unforeseen contingencies (redefinition of teaching, methods of interpersonal relationships …), critical issues in the emotional, training, adaptation to new contexts;
strengthening of personal skills and development of potential.
It is possible to make an appointment for counselling by writing to amassironi@liuc.it. Receptions are held from Monday to Friday in presence (7th floor office in the Torre building), or according to specific needs, via a Microsoft Teams videocall provided to any student at the Università.
- The projects of the Wellbeing Area of the Service are open to a student and, in a perspective of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, concern:
moments of training and information relating to healthy lifestyles, as a distinctive element of a future professional;
partnerships with local health excellences, open day of free breast examinations to any female student for the purpose of prevention and early diagnosis and other events, in order to raise awareness of prevention in the health sector as a positive impact on the community;
prevention of abusive and addictive behaviours;
food and sustainability;
experiential workshops and initiatives, in collaboration with the Head of Extra-didactic Activities and with external organisations and professionals.
Information relating to Wellbeing Projects, similar to all other Università initiatives of interest to a student, are disseminated through flyers and the Università’s institutional communication channels.
According to each case in point, they may take place face to face, or remotely.
3) Short presentation of the psychology ‘Team’
The Counselling and Wellbeing Service is coordinated by Dr. Alessandra Massironi. By virtue of a training and professional background as a neuropsychologist, psychotherapist, and in management in the social and health field, the educational-training model set up for the Counselling and Wellbeing Service transversally integrates cognitive, socio-relational and organisational levels that a student has to manage. In this sense, the Service accompanies and supports a student for all phases of their Università experience.
