Life Project

A tool at the service of students

Already since 2011 EDUCatt has been engaged in a needs satisfaction survey its main stakeholders, in order to activate actions geared towards constant improvement and the maintenance of a stable and fruitful dialogue with the university population.

Both quantitative and qualitative surveys were conducted, involving both students and lecturers at the university.

In 2011 Two satisfaction questionnaires concerning the services offered by the Foundation were developed and administered. The first was aimed at students at all locations and the second at scholarship holders and/or guests at EDUCatt colleges. The response rate was higher than 40% and the data were analysed and processed in cooperation with the UC Evaluation Unit and IPSOS.

In the wake of this satisfactory result, in the 2013 a new quantitative survey was proposed, again targeting students from all locations, but excluding freshmen, who had been using the services for too short a period at the time of administration. Again, the data collected were analysed with the cooperation of the UC Evaluation Team and the response rate was higher than 51%.

In 2015 the survey took place within the European project WISE (Welfare for Improved Social Dimensions of Education)research, co-funded by the European Community and in a multidisciplinary relationship with three other European universities, aimed at improving the overall well-being of students.

In 2017from previously collected data, the Life Project (Lightening Innovations for Empowerment), with the aim of giving voice to the Foundation's various interest groups. Both quantitative and qualitative surveys were proposed; in particular, quantitative satisfaction questionnaires were administered to the guests of the colleges (2017) and to the University's lecturers (2018), once again thanks to the support of the UC Evaluation Board. At the same time, focus groups, managed by a group of professional psychologists, were held for students at the Milan campus (2017 and 2018), in order to deepen the aspects that emerged and allow those who wished to participate in person.

After the positive experimentation on the Milan campus, the Foundation decided to extend the focus groups as an opportunity to explore students' needs to the Milan campus as well. Romeand progressively to the other locations, starting in the autumn 2018.

The 2019 saw the consolidation of needs satisfaction survey activities through focus groups in the student and collegiate communities of the locations where EDUCatt is present. 
In 2020following the health emergency caused by the COVID-19The Life Project did not stop and indeed continued in its mission to listen and support students digitally: the first online focus groups were inaugurated, giving a voice to students left at home or in colleges.

Thanks to these actions EDUCatt remains in constant listening of the needs and opinions of the users of its services, and this has enabled it to implement actions aimed at improving and satisfying the needs identified more accurately, as well as to strengthen the communication aspects that are fundamental so that the choices made can be understood by all.