MAIREmpower
The energy transition belongs to the youth: with MAIREmpower, we support their studies and their dreams!
The first edition of our MAIREmpower call for applications was launched in June 2024, with the aim of providing financial and practical support for three years of university study to 10 young people who want to pursue a STEM career. The project is promoted and implemented with the support of the CONSEL Elis consortium, our partner for the initiative.
MAIREmpower is a training project with a social impact, designed to actively contribute to the development of the new multidisciplinary skills needed to implement the energy transition. How? By providing equal access and financial and motivational support for university education to students from vulnerable socio-economic backgrounds.
The project will run for five years and consists of three phases.
The first phase involves three hours of training (courses) for students in the fourth year of high school at each institute that has joined the initiative through the call for applications: 22 appointments were held in technical institutes in Rome and its province, with 25 courses totaling 75 hours of training and guidance for over 1,300 students.
The second phase involves the creation of a summer school in July 2025, dedicated to 20 students selected from among the participants in the phase one courses who have applied to participate: 10 days of training dedicated to developing both technical and soft skills. The second phase also includes academic support with guidance on choosing a post-diploma path during the fifth year of high school (academic year 2025/2026) for the 20 participants in the summer school.
The third phase involves the provision of scholarships for three-year degrees in STEM subjects (academic year 2026/2027 and subsequent years) and a mentoring program throughout the course of study for 10 of the students selected from among the summer school participants who have applied.
To find out more about the project and all its stages, click on the “plus” sign next to the topic you are interested in from the list below.
PHASE I: SCHOOL COURSES - details
The first phase of the MAIREmpower call for proposals involves the creation of three-hour training courses for students in the fourth year of high school at each institute that has joined the initiative through the call for proposals.
The first edition of the MAIREmpower call for proposals was launched in June 2024 through the dissemination of the call to target schools in Rome and its province; the recipient institutions had until September 30, 2024, to join the initiative.
The first phase of the project involved the creation of training courses (Italian “PCTO, Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation”) in each of the 20 schools that were accredited by joining the initiative through the call for applications.
The courses are aimed at students in the fourth year of high school at each participating institute. They last three hours each and are divided into three blocks.
The first block focuses on energy transition, climate change, the circular economy, energy carriers, and sustainability. Students are first tested on their basic knowledge of these topics through an interactive quiz, so that some of the course content can be adapted to their existing level of knowledge and their curiosity can be maintained.
The second block focuses on the value of education, presenting the various study paths available after graduation and analyzing career prospects and job opportunities in sectors related to the energy transition, in order to guide young people towards informed and thoughtful choices for building their future.
The third block presents the MAIREmpower call for proposals and explains in detail to students how to participate in the subsequent stages of the initiative. At the end of the course, any interested students can ask questions and approach us to receive more information and a copy of the call for proposals, accompanied by a gadget and a card with our contact detail
Depending on the number of participating schools and the number of classes and students in the fourth year of high school at these schools, a total of 22 meetings were planned and held (from October 2024 to February 2025), three of which included double lessons. We met 1,300 students, providing a total of 75 hours of training and guidance.
We would like to thank the schools that welcomed us: ITI Faraday in Ostia, ISS Luigi Calamatta in Civitavecchia, IISS Giorgio Ambrosoli in Rome, ITET Emanuela Loi in Nettuno (2 times!), ISS Biagio Pascal in Rome, IIS Via Gramsci in Valmontone, ISISS Antonio Magarotto in Rome, ITIS Giuseppe Armellini in Rome, Liceo Plauto in Spinaceto, ISS Sandro Pertini in Genzano, ISS Via Copernico in Pomezia, IIS Verne-Magellano in Via Saponara of Acilia, ICS Margherita Hack in Morlupo, Liceo Vito Volterra in Ciampino, ITGC Carlo Matteucci (at its headquarters and branch office, both located in Rome), ISS Largo Brodolini in Pomezia, IIS Leon Battista Alberti in Rome, ITT Livia Bottardi in Rome and IIS Apicio Colonna Gatti in Anzio.
We would like to thank all the students who participated in the courses. Every contribution they made and every meeting we had taught us something too.
At the end of the courses in February 2025, the application form for participation in the summer school was made available to school representatives and published on the website, marking the start of the second phase of the project.
PHASE II: THE SUMMER SCHOOL - details
The second phase of the MAIREmpower call for proposals involves the creation of a summer school in July 2025 for 20 students selected from among the courses participants, as well as academic support and guidance in choosing a post-diploma path during the fifth year of high school (academic year 2025/2026).
WHAT IS SUMMER SCHOOL?
The summer school organized by the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS with the support of CONSEL Elis as part of the MAIREmpower call for proposals is an immersive educational experience: 10 days of educational, social, cultural, and recreational activities to be carried out together, in a dedicated facility with dedicated staff, in Rome from July 19 to 28, 2025, with all costs covered by the Foundation.
The training will focus on the themes of energy transition, exploring all the topics covered in the phase one courses and discovering others: what climate change is, sustainability, the world of engineering and its innovative solutions; who the ‘humanist engineer’ is, what role they play, how all this affects each student personally; the value of education and the importance of developing one's skills from school onwards, looking ahead to the future and investing in its construction. The teaching sessions will be alternated with group activities, role-playing or trust games, team building, and workshops for the development of soft skills.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Participation in the summer school will be open to 20 students, who will be selected from among the phase one courses participants who have applied by signing and submitting the application form.
The application form for the summer school will be made available to the school representatives for the PCTO of each participating institution at the end of the courses scheduled for phase one of the project, starting on February 6, 2025. It will be the responsibility of the school representatives to send it to all students in the fourth year of high school who have taken part in the PCTO courses held from October 2024 to February 2025. The document will be made available to students and their families, including via the Foundation's website.
The application form for participation in the summer school must be completed in full and signed by parents and/or guardians in the case of applications made on behalf of minors; it may be signed directly by the applicant if they are already of legal age.
The completed application form must be sent to the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS at mairempower@fondazionemaire.com no later than 11:00 p.m. on March 7, 2025.
Based on the applications received, the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS will draw up an initial ranking list and may request up to 40 motivational interviews with some of the applicants. The selection of admitted students will be made by the Foundation based on the analysis of the applications received and the outcome of the motivational interviews conducted. The outcome of the selection process will be communicated by May 11, 2025.
Candidates selected to participate in the summer school must send any declaration of withdrawal from the summer school to the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS at mairempower@fondazionemaire.com. If one or more candidates withdraw from the summer school, the next candidates on the ranking list will be contacted.
AFTER THESUMMER SCHOOL:
The second phase of the MAIREmpower call for proposals provides for the dialogue to continue with all students who took part in the summer school. In particular, the project provides for support in studies during the fifth year of high school (academic year 2025/2026), with additional support, where necessary, in choosing the most appropriate post-diploma path for the student.
A series of events with students will be planned during the 2025/2026 school year, which may take the form of discussion meetings or activities to be carried out together.
Students who have participated in the summer school may apply, in the second half of the following academic year (during their fifth year of high school), for the scholarship that constitutes the third phase of the project.
PHASE III: SCHOLARSHIPS
The third phase of the MAIREmpower call for applications provides for the awarding of scholarships for three-year degrees in STEM subjects (academic year 2026/2027 and subsequent years) and support and mentoring throughout the course of study for 10 of the students selected from among the summer school participants who have applied.
Students who are beneficiaries of the second phase of the MAIREmpower call for applications may apply for the scholarship during their fifth year of high school.
The call for applications provides for the possibility of awarding up to 10 scholarships to fund three-year bachelor's degree courses in a STEM subject. Beneficiaries will be offered financial and motivational support throughout the three-year university course, which will take place in the academic years 2026/2027 and subsequent years. Beneficiaries will be required to graduate with a thesis on a subject related to the energy transition sector.
The amount of financial support to be provided for each scholarship will be determined by the MAIRE – ETS Foundation after careful analysis of the beneficiary student's circumstances and chosen course of study, and may include, in addition to the payment of university fees and textbooks, any additional expenses necessary and preparatory to the completion of the university course.
Throughout their university studies, scholarship recipients will be able to count on the Foundation's support and coaching until they obtain their degree.
More details on the third phase will be provided in the coming months.
Why MAIREmpower and how to support us
The MAIREmpower call for applications is the first call for scholarships promoted by the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS to combat educational poverty and provide equal opportunities for access to education for young people from vulnerable backgrounds. The target audience, which we initially decided to focus on PCTOs (Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation), has been significantly reduced in subsequent phases to 20 and then 10 beneficiary students.
This is because MAIREmpower is not ‘just’ about scholarships: our desire is to accompany young people along the path to building their future. We want to get to know them, support them, and develop targeted activities for them.
To achieve all this, we need skills, time, and money. Part of the funding comes from generous donations from our supporters, whom we warmly thank. The journey has only just begun, and our desire is to promote new editions of the call for applications and extend not only the number of beneficiaries but also the geographical scope. To do this, we need you!
If you would like to contribute to building the future of these young people and to the realization of this project, you can donate here: Education4Future | Rete del Dono.
All information about the project, the forms, and details of the activities that will be carried out will be made available on our website and on this landing page.
DONATE NOW!
To contribute to the initiative, you can make a donation on our “Education4future” page (Rete del dono).
Every gesture counts! Thank you very much.
