UNICORE

The general objective of the University Corridors for Refugees - UNICORE 7.0 2025/2027 (Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) project is to promote the right to higher education for refugees through study corridors from Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to Italy. In addition to the benefits described below, the selected winners will be entitled to enroll in the International Interuniversity MSc Degree Programme in Food Safety and Food Risk Management, which is taught entirely in English, at the Department of Food and Drug of the University of Parma (UNIPR) – https://cdlm-fsafrm.unipr.it. 

UNICORE 7.0 applicants are recommended to apply for a maximum of 2 Italian universities among the participants to the UNICORE 7.0 project, available at the link https://universitycorridors.unhcr.it/ to have the opportunity to be reassigned to the second university.

The notice is published with Rectoral Decree n. 518/2025.

The admission form is open until 18/04/2025 at 12:00 (CET) and available HERE.

The general objective of the University Corridors for Refugees - UNICORE 6.0 (Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe 2024-2026) project is to promote the right to higher education for refugees through study corridors from Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to Italy. In addition to the benefits described below, the winners of this selection will be entitled to enroll in the International Interuniversity MSc Degree Programme in Food Safety and Food Risk Management, which is taught entirely in English, at the Department of Food and Drug of the University of Parma (UNIPR) – https://cdlm-fsafrm.unipr.it. 

UNICORE 6.0 applicants are recommended to apply for a maximum of 2 Italian universities among the participants to the UNICORE 6.0 project, available at the link https://universitycorridors.unhcr.it/ to have the opportunity to be reassigned to the second university.

The notice is published with Rectoral Decree n. 510/2024 Reg. no. 62902 dated 02/23/2024.

The application form, open from 01/03/2024 to 12:00 on 15/04/2024, is available HERE.

The UNICORE (University Corridors for Refugees) project is promoted by 32 Italian universities to give 58 refugees the opportunity to pursue their academic career in Italy. Students will be selected on the basis of merit and motivation through a public call for applications.

The project offers refugees the opportunity to arrive in Italy in a regular and safe manner to pursue their studies, in line with the UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency's goal of strengthening regular entry channels for refugees and achieving a 15 percent enrollment rate in tertiary education programs in countries of first asylum and third countries by 2030.

The UNICORE project started in 2019 with an initial pilot phase during which six students were accepted by two universities, and then expanded with the participation of 20, 45 and 69 students in 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively. In its fifth edition, the project expands again to include refugees residing in Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Collaborating in the project are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UNHCR, Caritas Italiana, Diaconia Valdese and Centro Astalli, as well as a wide network of local partners who will ensure the necessary support for the students during the two-year master's degree program and foster their integration into university life.

The University of Parma is providing two scholarships for enrollment in the inter-university Master's Degree in Food Safety and Food Risk Management.

The Call for Applications is issued by University Rector's Decree n. 617/2023 dated 30/03/203.