MAIREmpower
THE ENERGY TRANSITION BELONGS TO THE YOUTH: WITH MAIREMPOWER, WE SUPPORT THEIR STUDIES AND THEIR DREAMS!
The first edition of our MAIREmpower scheme launched in June 2024, with the aim of providing financial and practical support for the three-year university course of 10 young people wishing to pursue a STEM pathway. The project is promoted and implemented with the support of the CONSEL Elis consortium, our partner for the first part of the initiative.
MAIREmpower is a social impact training project
designed to make a tangible contribution to building the new multidisciplinary skills required to bring about the energy transition. How? By providing equal access, as well as financial and motivational support, to university education for students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
The project will run for five years and consists of three phases.
The first phase of the project involves delivering three hours of training for 4th year of high school students at each school participating in the initiative via the call for applications.
The second phase of the project involves the organisation of a summer school for 20 students, selected from among those who took part in the Phase One courses and who have applied via the admission form: 10 days of training focused on developing both technical and soft skills. The second phase also includes academic support and guidance on choosing a post-diploma pathway during the fifth year of secondary school for summer school participants: monthly mentoring sessions.
The third phase of the project involves the provision of scholarships for three-year degrees in STEM subjects and a mentoring programme throughout the course of study, for 10 of the students selected from among summer school participants who have applied via the application form.
To find out more details about the project and all its phases, click the ‘plus’ sign next to the topic of interest from those listed below.
[May 2026 – update] Where are we now?
The monthly mentoring sessions planned for the second phase of the project have concluded: our young summer school students now have their A-level exams to tackle!
The second phase of the project is also drawing to a close; students have submitted their applications for the scholarships available under the third phase of the project and are currently attending motivational interviews.
Once the interviews are complete, the Foundation will be able to select the successful candidates and award the scholarships, thereby launching the final phase of the project.
PHASE I: CALL AND SCHOOL COURSES - details
The first phase of the MAIREmpower call for proposals involved delivering three hours of training (formerly known as PCTO) to Italian 4th year of high school students at each school that had signed up for the initiative via the call for applications.
THE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS:
The first edition of the MAIREmpower call for applications was launched in June 2024 with the distribution of the call to target schools in Rome and the surrounding province; participating schools had until 30 September 2024 to join the initiative.
LA FASE I: I CORSI NELLE SCUOLE
The first phase of the project involved the delivery of training and guidance courses in each of the 20 schools that had registered to take part in the initiative via the call for applications.
The courses are aimed at 4th year of high school students students at each participating school, last three hours each, and are divided into three modules.
In the first module, the training focuses on the themes of the energy transition, climate change, the circular economy, energy sources and sustainability; students are first tested – via an interactive quiz – on their basic knowledge of the topics in question, so that certain course content can be adapted to the level of knowledge they already possess and to keep their curiosity alive.
The second module focuses on the value of education, presenting the various study pathways available after leaving school and analysing career prospects and job opportunities in sectors related to the energy transition, with a view to guiding young people towards informed and considered choices for building their future.
The third module presents the MAIREmpower call for applications and explains in detail to students how to participate in the subsequent stages of the initiative. At the end of the sessions, any interested student can ask questions and approach us to receive further information and a copy of the call for applications – along with a free gift and a card with our contact details.
FIRST EDITION’S NUMBERS:
Depending on the number of participating schools and the number of 4th year of high school classes and students at these schools, a total of 22 sessions were planned and delivered (from October 2024 to February 2025) during the first edition of the project, three of which involved two consecutive sessions. We engaged with 1,300 students, delivering a total of 75 hours of training.
We would like to thank the schools that welcomed us: ITI Faraday (Ostia), ISS Luigi Calamatta (Civitavecchia), IISS Giorgio Ambrosoli (Rome), ITET Emanuela Loi (Nettuno, Rome) – twice! -, ISS Biagio Pascal (Rome), IIS Via Gramsci (Valmontone), ISISS Antonio Magarotto (Rome), ITIS Giuseppe Armellini (Rome), Liceo Plauto (Spinaceto), ISS Sandro Pertini (Genzano), ISS Via Copernico (Pomezia), IIS Verne-Magellano of Via Saponara (Acilia), ICS Margherita Hack of Morlupo, Liceo Vito Volterra (Ciampino), ITGC Carlo Matteucci (headquarter and branch, Rome), ISS Largo Brodolini (Pomezia), IIS Leon Battista Alberti (Rome), ITT Livia Bottardi (Rome) and IIS Apicio Colonna Gatti (Anzio).
We thank all the students who participated in the courses, every one of their contributions, every meeting, has taught us something as well.
AFTER THE COURSES:
At the end of the courses of the first phase of the project, in February 2025, the application for admission to the summer school was made available to school representatives and published on the website, to kick off the second phase of the project.
PHASE II: THE SUMMER SCHOOL - details
The second phase of the MAIREmpower call provides, for the benefit of 20 students selected from participants in the courses of the first phase, the organization of a summer school in July 2025 and support in studies with orientation in choosing the post-diploma path during the 5th year of high school (academic year 2025/2026) with monthly mentoring meetings.
WHAT IS THE SUMMER SCHOOL:
The MAIREmpower summer school organized by the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS with the support of CONSEL Elis is an immersive educational experience: 10 days of training, social, cultural, and recreational activities to be carried out together, in a dedicated facility and with dedicated staff, in Rome from July 19 to 28, 2025, with all costs fully covered by the Foundation.
Training focuses on the topics of the energy transition, exploring in depth all the subjects covered in the first phase 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 of this concerns each student personally; the value of education and the importance of developing one’s skills starting from school, already projecting into the future and investing in its construction. Educational moments will be alternated with group activities, role-playing or trust games, team building, workshops for the development of soft skills.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Participation in the summer school is allowed for 20 students, selected from the participants of the first phase courses of the project who have applied by signing and submitting the application form.
The application form for the summer school has been made available to the school coordinators of each participating institution, at the end of the first phase courses of the project. It was the responsibility of the school coordinators to forward it to all students in the fourth year of high school who took part in the courses held from October 2024 to February 2025.
The document has been made available to students and their families, also through publication on this landing page (Italian version).
The application for admission to the summer school must be completed in all its parts and signed by the parents and/or legal guardians in case of application on behalf of a minor student; it can instead be signed directly by the applying student if they are already of legal age. The duly completed application must be sent to the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS at mairempower@fondazionemaire.com no later than 11:00 PM on 03/07/2025.
Based on the applications received, the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS draws up an initial ranking and may request up to 40 motivational interviews with some of the applying students. The selection of admitted students is carried out by the Foundation based on the analysis of the applications received and the outcome of the motivational interviews conducted. The result of the selection will be communicated by May 11, 2025. Candidates selected for participation in the summer school must send to the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS at the email address mairempower@fondazionemaire.com any declaration of withdrawal from participation in the summer school no later than 11:00 PM on May 25, 2025. Should one or more candidates withdraw from participating in the summer school, the next candidates on the ranking may be contacted.
PHASE II: MENTORING - details
The second phase of the MAIREmpower project foresees, at the end of the summer school, that the dialogue continues with all the students who participated.
In particular, the second part of the second phase of the project foresees training and orientation courses, support in studies during the 5th year of high school (academic year 2025/2026), and guidance in choosing the post-graduation path most suitable for the student.
Monthly appointments were planned during the 2025/2026 school year with the students who made up the summer school class. In continuity with the path designed throughout the project, the meetings had different natures and purposes; from training courses to university open days, from workshops to participation in fairs, from internal events to seminars, the objective was to provide young students with a 360-degree, concrete vision of everything they studied with us during the early stages of the project, as well as further insights. The mentoring path aims to provide them with more tools to make an informed choice for their future, as well as to provide technical and humanistic skills related to the STEM fields.
THE EVENTS OF THIS EDITION:
Below is a summary of the mentoring appointments held with the class of the MAIREmpower 2025 summer school:
- MAIRE Open day, September 2025
- Maker faire di Roma, October 2025
- Training course on 3D printing technologies; presentation of projects developed by students after the Maker Faire, Fondazione MAIRE – ETS headquarter, November 2025
- Mentoring and orientation meeting: success stories, students met the President and founder of the MAIRE group and Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, December 2025
- Podcast “Generazioni al verde”: Some of the students voiced the third and final episode (“Preparing for the Future”) of the podcast made with Avvenire on the energy transition, December 2025
- Seminar “TRAJECTORIES”, Sapienza University of Rome: the students participated in the scientific seminar presenting the results of a report that analyzes the connections between migratory flows and the energy transition [to read the dedicated news click here], January 2026
- Mentoring and orientation meeting: at the turning point with the second phase of the project and the last year of school, reflections on the choices to be made, Fondazione MAIRE – ETS headquarters, February 2026
- Training course "Yesterday, today, tomorrow: a journey into engineering in the name of Made in Italy", first meeting exploring the evolution of engineering design, from historical archive materials to the use of 3D technology [to read the dedicated news click here], Fondazione MAIRE – ETS headquarters, March 2026
- Open day University Sapienza (Rome), March 2026
- Floracult 2026, Rome: during the fair on nature, biodiversity, and sustainability, the students, with their reflections and questions, brought to life the presentation of the book “What It Means to Be Human” - written by Professors Gallese and Morelli - a profound reflection on the human being and its balance with nature and the Planet, [to read the dedicated news click here], I Casali del Pino (Rome), April 2026
- Training course “Yesterday, today, tomorrow: a journey into engineering in the name of Made in Italy”, second appointment exploring the evolution of engineering design, discovering the world of NextChem, technologies and circular solutions, with an in-depth look at the impact of AI, headquarters of the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS, May 2026
AFTER THE MENTORING:
Students who participated in the summer school and in the mentoring meetings provided by the second phase of the MAIREmpower
project can apply to obtain one of the scholarships provided by the third phase of the project (scholarships for undergraduate STEM degrees starting from the academic year 2026/2027).
Almost all the students who make up the class of the MAIREmpower 2025 summer school have submitted their applications.
[May 2026] Motivational interviews are currently underway. At the end of the interviews, the Foundation will be able to draw up the ranking and decide on the allocation of the scholarships provided for in the third phase of the project.
PHASE III: SCHOLARSHIPS - details
The third phase of the MAIREmpower call provides for the awarding of scholarships for bachelor's degrees in STEM subjects (academic year 2026/2027 and subsequent years) and support and mentoring throughout the entire course of study, for 10 of the students selected from participants in the summer school who have applied for it.
The students benefiting from the second phase of the MAIREmpower
project (summer school and mentoring), during their fifth year of high school, can submit a request to obtain one of the scholarships provided by the third phase of the project.
The MAIREmpower call provides the possibility of awarding up to 10 scholarships to fund Bachelor's degree programs in a STEM subject. Beneficiaries will be offered financial and motivational support throughout the three-year university period, which will take place in the 2026/2027 academic year 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 Fondazione MAIRE – ETS after a careful analysis of the conditions of the student beneficiary and the chosen course of study, and may include, in addition to the payment of tuition fees and textbooks, the ancillary expenses necessary and conducive to the completion of the university course.
Scholarship beneficiaries will be able to rely, throughout the entire university course, on academic support and coaching from the Foundation until the degree is obtained.
More details on the third phase will be provided in the coming months.
WHY MAIREMPOWER AND HOW TO SUPPORT US
The MAIREmpower call represents the first scholarship call promoted by the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS. The user base to which we initially decided to address, initially large in the Phase One courses, is significantly reduced in the subsequent phases, to 20 and then to 10 student recipients.
This is because MAIREmpower is not “just” scholarships: our desire is to accompany young people along the path of building their future. We want to get to know them, support them, and develop targeted activities for them.
To achieve all this, skills, time, and money are needed. The Fondazione MAIRE – ETS will make €160,000.00 available for the development of the project. A part of this amount comes from the generous donations received from our supporters, whom we thank. The journey is halfway, and our desire is to promote new editions of the call for proposals, and to extend not only the number of beneficiaries but also the territorial scope of action. To do this, we need you!
If you want 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.
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All information about the project, the forms, and the account of the activities that will be carried out will be made available on our website, and on this landing page.
To see a photo gallery of the activities already completed, scroll down!
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.
