The overall objective of the UNICORE program is to promote the right to higher education for refugee students residing in third countries by opening university corridors. UNICORE is an initiative launched in 2019 and promoted by 40 Italian universities with the support of UNHCR (United Nations Refugee Agency), the Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, Caritas Italiana, Diaconia Valdese, Centro Astalli, and other partners.
Since the 2021–2022 academic year, every year the University of Parma has funded two scholarships for refugee students to attend the Master's degree programme Food Safety and Food Risk Management, taught in English, (course description). The University of Parma has participated in the UNICORE 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, and 8.0 (upcoming) editions.
The countries involved in UNICORE edition 8.0, for the 2026–2027 academic year, are the following: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Starting from UNICORE edition 6.0, the coordination of the programme at the University of Parma has been entrusted to Michela Semprebon, a faculty member of the university and Rector’s Delegate to the Refugee Working Group. The initiative is also made possible thanks to the support of the following local partners: ER.GO – Azienda Regionale per il Diritto agli Studi Superiori dell’Emilia-Romagna, Fondazione Caritas Sant’Ilario, Comunità di Sant’Egidio, CIAC Onlus (Immigration, Asylum and International Cooperation Centre of Parma and Province), and the Commissione Sinodale per la Diaconia Valdese.
