From Arrival to Belonging: A Case Study on Comprehensive Support for International Students in Turin

Italian universities are attracting increasing numbers of international students through targeted recruitment initiatives. In Turin, the University and Polytechnic have partnered with the Migrants Pastoral Office (UPM), establishing ongoing dialogue, shared monitoring processes, and tailored interventions to prevent academic dropout. Since 2013, UPM has provided integrated support programmes to assist international students facing difficulties. Drawing on detailed stakeholder interviews, this article analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the project, identifying it as a best practice model with significant potential for replication by other academic institutions.