The transition from school to university and the world of employment is both a crucial and an increasingly challenging stage in the lives of thousands of young people.

To provide more effective career guidance and help the next generation make informed decisions about their education and future careers, Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta is launching as the first major integrated initiative of its kind, combining in-person events with digital services to establish lasting connections between students, teachers, universities and businesses.

Developed by Mondadori Media, in collaboration with its educational and science communication brands Focus and Focus Scuola, and with digital partner UniversityBox, Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta addresses a pressing social and demographic issue: the growing proportion of NEETs in Italy, young people who are not in education, employment or training.

The initiative aims to build lasting connections across Italy between young people, universities and businesses at key stages of their educational journeys, specialist training and transition into the job market.

The project was presented today in Rome by Carlo Mandelli, CEO of Mondadori Media, in the presence of Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth. The event also featured contributions from: Riccardo Di Stefano, Vice President of Confindustria for Education and Open Innovation; Caterina Belletti, President of FS International; Emiliano Novelli, CEO of UniversityBox; and Gian Mattia Bazzoli, Editor-in-Chief of Focus.

“We believe that, to build their futures, young people need the right tools and tangible opportunities for career guidance and education. This belief lies at the heart of Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta: an original and highly innovative initiative, the first of its kind, that brings together our expertise in science and educational communication to build a direct, lasting bridge between young people, schools, universities and the business community. Our aim is to help make Italy an attractive ecosystem for talent once again. As publishers, we see supporting career guidance as a clear part of our social responsibility. This commitment is fully aligned with the Mondadori Group’s long-standing mission to support the country’s cultural and civic development, a role we have played for more than a century,” said Carlo Mandelli, CEO of Mondadori Media.

“One of this Government’s key priorities is to promote increasingly informed, meaningful and productive relationships between schools, universities, businesses and the job market. This is essential if we are to give young people the assurances they are asking for, by providing tangible opportunities in Italy so that they do not feel compelled to leave the country with little prospect of returning. This is why we have decided to support this project, which forms part of the broader programme of activities under the Carta Giovani Nazionale initiative. This free digital tool gives young people access to a range of opportunities and benefits. It currently has more than 3.9 million active cardholders, an increase of almost 400,000 this year alone. The Card gives young people access to 213 opportunities offered by public and private partners participating in the initiative. It is also evolving into a platform for other public authorities, starting with the Ministry of Culture and its Valore Cultura initiative. In short, it is increasingly becoming a tool for dialogue, too. Another important step forward will come with the enabling bill on youth policy, which Parliament is expected to approve shortly. As well as strengthening the Carta Giovani Nazionale, the legislation will establish a new framework for interinstitutional cooperation, making policies for younger generations across Italy more coordinated and coherent,” said Andrea Abodi, Minister for Sport and Youth.

“Career guidance is first and foremost about helping young people gain a better understanding of themselves, their strengths and the opportunities available to them. That is why it cannot be a one-off event at the end of their studies, but must become an ongoing process that supports young people at every stage of their education and training. In a rapidly changing labour market, increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and new technologies, we must equip young people with the tools they need to make informed choices and continue learning throughout their lives. This is a shared responsibility for schools, universities, ITS Academies and businesses, which must work together to build stronger bridges between education and the job market. Initiatives such as Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta are a step in this direction, bringing different sectors together and making young people more aware of the opportunities available in their local areas and across Italy’s business landscape,” said Riccardo Di Stefano, Confindustria Vice President for Education and Open Innovation.

“Finding your way is the starting point of every journey. There can be no education without guidance, just as there can be no education without mobility. No educational hub can truly thrive without an efficient and sustainable public transport system. For us, sustainability comes first. Without it, the journey cannot begin. That is why we were so keen to be part of this initiative, alongside Minister Abodi and an outstanding Italian company such as the Mondadori Group. We are convinced that this project can extend beyond Italy’s borders and travel to the countries where FS International operates, bringing with it not only the value of Made in Italy, but, above all, a culture of sustainability. Because sustainability is also a matter of culture. And young people, in particular, can turn it into a new way of looking at and building the future,” said Caterina Belletti, President of FS International.

“Through UniversityBox, we are providing the project with a digital platform that not only offers guidance and connects more than 1.5 million students with universities and businesses, but also gives us a way to listen to them on an ongoing basis. The initial findings from our Observatory reveal a particularly significant trend: more than four in five students are happy with the city where they study, yet over one in two do not expect to stay there after graduating. Bridging this gap between enjoying a place and being able to picture a future there is precisely where we need to focus our efforts. Through the Observatory, we want to turn young people’s voices into valuable insights for universities, businesses and institutions, helping to create opportunities that better reflect their expectations,” said Emiliano Novelli, CEO of UniversityBox.

THE CONTEXT: THE NEET CRISIS AND REGIONAL DISPARITIES

According to the latest figures, Italy has the second-highest proportion of NEETs among 15 to 29-year-olds in the European Union, at around 15%. This is compounded by significant regional disparities, with the figure reaching almost 28% in Sicily and rising to 30% when the age range is extended to include women aged 30 to 34.

These figures highlight two key issues: young people’s lack of awareness when making educational choices and the continued outflow of human capital, alongside the difficulty many areas face in attracting new talent.

Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta aims to address these challenges by bringing local education and employment opportunities together in one place. In particular, events in cities across southern Italy will help retain local talent and attract young people from elsewhere in the country, generating positive effects on several fronts. These range from stemming the loss of skilled professionals to other countries to supporting young people’s independence, with the potential to help reverse declining birth rates.

THE DIGITAL PLATFORM AND PERMANENT OBSERVATORY

Thanks to its partnership with UniversityBox, Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta will create Italy’s largest digital platform dedicated to career and educational guidance. More than one million registered students will have free access to tools designed to support their educational and career choices, including assessments and personalised guidance. The aim is to support young people in making informed decisions about their education and careers before, during and after the scheduled events.

Furthermore, the platform incorporates Italy’s first permanent Observatory dedicated to educational and career guidance, employment and entrepreneurship. Drawing continuously on the responses and experiences of upper secondary school and university students, the Observatory will track developments in career paths and emerging skills in real time, from AI and cybersecurity to green careers and STEAM fields, providing valuable insights for businesses and institutions.

THREE EVENTS IN 2026: BUILDING A LASTING BRIDGE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND WORK

Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta will kick off with its first event in Palermo, Sicily, on 28 and 29 October 2026. The event, held under the patronage of the City of Palermo and Sicindustria, is expected to welcome more than 5,000 participants, including upper secondary school students, university students and teachers.

Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta will then travel to Lecce, Puglia (10 and 11 November 2026), followed by Taranto (1 and 2 December 2026). The 2027 schedule already includes Catania (23 and 24 February), Bari (during the week commencing 15 March) and Brindisi (23 and 24 March). With the start of the new school year, the initiative will expand to further cities in central and northern Italy, completing a three-year development plan covering 11 Italian cities by 2028, with a total of 25 events over three years.

“Palermo is proud to host the launch of Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta, a project that addresses one of the most important challenges facing the country’s future: giving young people practical tools to find their way, develop their skills and build their careers. Bringing the first event to Sicily means recognising the value and potential of a region rich in talent while strengthening dialogue between schools, universities, businesses and institutions. Palermo wants to play a leading role in this challenge, helping to create new opportunities and the conditions for young people to make more informed decisions about their future, including by choosing to stay in the region and invest in its development,” said Roberto Lagalla, Mayor of Palermo.

“Italy, and its southern regions in particular, needs to offer young people a more dynamic and tangible vision of their working future, with high-quality opportunities, clear pathways into employment and closer collaboration between education providers, businesses and institutions. This is the vision behind the City of Lecce’s decision to include a ‘Workforce Development Pathway’ for younger generations in its programme. In this context, Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta will make an important contribution to strengthening career guidance and connections between students and the business community. Closing the gap in opportunities also means tackling the outflow of young people towards places that offer better prospects. This is a challenge for everyone, and one that will play a decisive role in shaping our country’s economic and social future,” said Adriana Poli Bortone, Mayor of Lecce.

“Taranto reaffirms its commitment to being a place of connection, learning and opportunity for younger generations. Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta represents a valuable opportunity to bring together schools, universities, institutions and businesses, creating a space for meaningful discussion about educational pathways and career prospects. Investing in career guidance means supporting young people as they make decisions about their future while also contributing to the growth and competitiveness of our region,” said Pietro Bitetti, Mayor of Taranto.

The exhibition space at Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta will be divided into four thematic areas:

• Post-diploma area, where universities, ITS higher technical institutes, schools and academies will present their programmes to students in the fourth and fifth years of upper secondary school;
• Master’s and specialisation area, for graduates of bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes looking to specialise further;
• Future Jobs area, a dedicated recruitment hub bringing employers and jobseekers together;
• International area, dedicated to international student mobility at events in the largest cities, Milan and Rome.

At events in southern Italy, the Forum will also pursue a specific objective: retaining local students and talent by encouraging meaningful engagement with leading organisations at national and international level, while attracting new talent from neighbouring areas and across the Mediterranean. The participation of the Chamber of Deputies is also expected.

Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta will also offer teachers an important opportunity for professional development, with sessions exploring a range of topics, from artificial intelligence and the tools and approaches used for career guidance in today’s schools to sustainability skills, masculinity and gender education in the school environment.

Teachers will also be able to complete online courses accredited by the Ministry of Education and Merit at a 50% discount. Participation in the full programme will entitle them to a certificate issued through the S.O.F.I.A. platform.

Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta is an integrated, year-round communications and services platform, combining in-person events with digital resources to connect the educational offerings of universities, ITS higher technical institutes and advanced training schools with the needs of local businesses.

The Mondadori Group will have its own exhibition space showcasing key career paths and job opportunities for recent graduates, alongside the educational offering of Mondadori Academy, the Group’s training academy covering artificial intelligence, cinema, music, design and manga.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Admission to Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta is completely free, subject to registration via the portal www.mondadoriacademyforum.it or the UniversityBox app. Secondary school students will be entitled to a certificate recognising their participation towards their School-to-Work Training (FSL) hours.

PARTNERS

Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta has an impressive line-up of partners. Institutional partners will include the Minister for Sport and Youth, promoting the National Youth Card initiative, and Invitalia, which will present Resto al Sud 2.0, a scheme supporting youth entrepreneurship.

Commercial partners include companies such as DEAS, founded by Stefania Ranzato, which will organise a cybersecurity hackathon, and Banca Ifis, through activities organised by Kaleidos, the bank’s social impact lab. Other partners include higher education institutions such as UniPa, Lumsa, Plena Education, Unicris and Ciels.

The programme of events for Mondadori Academy Forum Orienta in Palermo is curated by Focus and Focus Scuola, in collaboration with Studenti, Mentors4u, CISIA, CESIE, Webboh, Magnisi Studio and Centro di Cinematografia di Palermo.

 

Mondadori Group Media Relations
pressoffice@mondadori.it