Politecnico di Milano is part of the IHEA Foundation – “Italian Higher Education with Africa”. The aim is to offer a multi-purpose university-level training programme specifically designed to support universities and young professionals on the African continent. This is the first Italian transnational educational pilot experience, born from the joint work with the other academic partners: University of Bologna, University of Florence, University of Naples Federico II, University of Padua and La Sapienza University of Rome.

One of the initiatives launched is the Master’s Degree in “Sustainable Management of Cultural Resources and Heritage for Local Development”. Offered to 35 Ethiopian professors and young researchers in support of African universities, it aims to contribute to the upgrading of human resources and to train a qualified generation of new researchers. The aim is to strengthen transversal knowledge on issues related to the 2030 and 2063 agendas and to train young lecturers on two main themes: educational innovation and sustainability.

In July 2022, the Italian Cultural Institute in Addis Ababa will offer its premises and logistical support for the delivery of one module of the Master’s course. Prof. Emanuela Colombo, Rector’s Delegate for Cooperation and Development and UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development, and the SESAM research group of the Department of Energy, delivered a series of lectures, including an interactive and innovative learning module consisting of a project work on the topics of “Energy Resources, Energy Technologies, Energy Scenarios and Planning”.

The alumni community of the IHEA Foundation Master’s Degree will consolidate the heritage of relations between Italy and Ethiopia, enriching the opportunities for exchanges between the respective cultural, economic, entrepreneurial and innovation systems.