H.18. The Enhancement of the Intellectual Capital of Young Migrants as an Inclusion Strategy

The demographic transition calls for a broad rethinking of Italian migration policies. The devaluation and marginalization of the capital of migrant origin accentuate the mismatch between demand and supply of skills and the lack of attractiveness of Italy for young people of foreign origin, as well as for natives (Cnel 2025). The experience with Ukrainian students has been an interesting laboratory for educational inclusion, which can be extended to other ethnic groups of non-European origin who have also been affected by humanitarian tragedies.

How can the EU, and Italy in particular, become more inclusive for young migrants without depleting the intellectual capital of the countries of origin? What are the bureaucratic, linguistic, and cultural obstacles that prevent the full inclusion of young migrants in education and training systems, and how can they be removed? What public and/or third sector initiatives (Filosa, Gamberoni 2023) can help overcome them?

This panel aims to answer these questions within a complex, intersectional, and multidisciplinary framework. In particular, the contributions aimed at deepening the following aspects will be privileged:

• Theories and practices of intercultural education.
• Education, training, and guidance policies for young people with a migrant background.
• The creation of hotspots for the training of foreign minors both in the host countries and in the countries of origin.
• Apprenticeships and training internships for the inclusion of the workforce with a migrant background, with particular attention to unaccompanied foreign minors (Rinaldi 2023);
• International cooperation for the student mobility of young migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.