Advising and guidance

The advising/guidance activities for the Philosophical Studies course are coordinated by the Course President (Prof. Fabrizio Amerini), in collaboration with the Guidance delegate designated by the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and Cultural Industries, who oversees the organisation of meetings with secondary school students, assisted in this for the Philosophical Studies course by Prof. Roberto Pinzani and Andrea Staiti.

These activities are also coordinated in cooperation with the university's advising/guidance service. The organisation of the Open Day and the Info Day, in collaboration with the University's Communication and External Relations Department, is supported by the course's education manager Maria Velardi.

The degree course considers advising/guidance activities fundamental because it is necessary to introduce future students to the potential and characteristics of the study of Philosophy. Indeed, this study enables the acquisition of very important skills for today's world of work of an organisational, analytical-assessment, communicative and relational nature; however, it requires a strong motivation to study in order to be able to deal with even very complex ideas and methodologies.

They also organise a meeting with Course newly enrolled students which takes place in the first week of classes and is also held as Lesson 0. The Course President provides the main information to students.

Entrance advising/guidance test. In particular, attendance of the preparatory course called 'Idea-Philosophy' is recommended. This course is offered to all first year students but is intended in particular, as an additional training obligation (OFA), to fill the gaps identified by the entrance test.

In order to present the specificities and aims of philosophical studies, the Philosophy Unit, in collaboration with the Parma section of the Italian Philosophical Society, organises annual readings of classic Philosophical texts in secondary schools in the city of Parma and its province, with the collaboration of secondary school teachers.

The purpose of the service is to support the proper integration of students in the degree course through, in particular, specific tutoring activities aimed at students enrolled in the first year of the course, as well as to encourage effective career progression by students through, in particular, assistance in the compilation of individual programmes of study, ongoing guidance activities aimed at encouraging students to choose the degree course best suited to their characteristics, as well as remedial activities for students experiencing difficulties.

In connection with high schools, the University of Parma has launched a specific project involving school teachers in coordination with university teaching staff with a view to supporting the preparation of students enrolled in the first or second year who need disciplinary reinforcement. The IDEA Project, aimed at the Integration of Didactics through Assisted Exercises, is in fact an initiative that aims at the realisation of an operational link between high school and university, for a profitable connection between secondary school and university teaching, as an effective means of reducing student difficulties and drop-out phenomena and is operational in various mathematical, scientific and humanistic fields.

In particular, the following specific forms of tutoring should be noted: Course and Department student tutors regularly provide information to first year students and students in general and to non-attending students in particular, with the function of providing initial guidance to students and reporting any needs they may have to the professors/instructors and the competent bodies.

Other students work at Department level and cooperate with course tutors in welcoming students on Open Day and Info Day and in setting up the Info Point- Tutor Desk activated at the beginning of the academic year in September; professors Italo Testa and Wolfgang Huemer follow and guide students for study and internship experiences at European and non-European universities as part of the Erasmus Plus SMS Programme (see table below); prof. Faustino Fabbianelli is responsible for incoming foreign students as part of the Erasmus Plus Exchange Programme. Gemmo Iocco is responsible for the curricular internship; Prof. Faustino Fabbianelli is responsible for the placements of incoming foreign students under the Erasmus Plus Exchange Programme; Prof. Faustino Fabbianelli is responsible for the internships to be carried out in European countries under the Erasmus Plus SMT Programme: Italo Testa; tutor for outgoing students and work advising/guidance and Prof. Andrea Bianchi.

Given the course's optimal professor/instructor-student ratio, it is possible to identify students with basic preparation or motivational problems right from the start of the course. Tutoring could thus be organised in a targeted manner to offer support for exam preparation, study motivation and also interest in studying abroad.