The PUP - Parma Penitentiary University Centre is part of a network of centres existing in some Italian universities, which over the years have launched similar projects to guarantee the right to university education for students in prison and are now united in a national conference (the National Conference of Rectors' Delegates for Prison University Centres - CNUPP) established at the CRUI. The specificity of the Parma University Centre is that it welcomes students who are prisoners in high security prisons, thus presenting a particular challenge in the national context.
In addition to exams, graduation ceremonies and meetings with teachers, orientation meetings and short lecture series are held within the prison in the presence of both prisoners and non-prisoners. In this context, the right to study becomes the right to attend classes and meet people from outside the prison, with whom they can share ideas and culture.
To accompany student prisoners in their studies and assist them in carrying out all activities related to their university career, tutors are provided, who are students enrolled in master's degrees or doctoral courses at the University.
Over the years, the Parma Prison University Centre has expanded its activities involving the city on the subject of prison: seminars for students and citizens are held at the PUP headquarters (Vicolo dei Mulini, 5 - 43121 Parma PR), based on materials developed in prison.
All this cultural commitment has given rise to a quarterly magazine entitled Cerchioscritti.
