UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI SASSARI
The University of Sassari was founded in 1558 and today counts a total number of over 13.000 students and about 765 teachers, in 10 departments. All three undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses are present. Activities for the present project will be run by the FOIST Laboratory (the acronym stands in Italian for Formation, Occupation, Information, Services, Territory), which is a research center operating within the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. It was founded in 1977 as a documentation and research center open to both academic and non-academic users. FOIST’s main activities concern promoting and running theoretical and empirical research with a strong engagement in positive social intervention. The methodology used in applied research actions builds upon background inquiring, evaluation, training, information and participation. The overall approach tends to conjugate interdisciplinary research with the promotion of civic participation, solidarity building and community empowerment.
FOIST is part of the Living Knowledge network and count on extensive research networks, notably in the Mediterranean area, South America and Asia.
It is also part of the Italian hub in the Bridging Knowledge Cultures. The Knowledge for Change Consortium on Training for Community-Based Research project which is coordinated by the Unesco Chair in CBR and Social Responsibility of Higher Education with funding by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada.
FOIST is also accredited agency for the impact evaluation of projects funded by the Italian National Educational Poverty Fund.
Andrea Vargiu is a Full Professor of Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Sassari (Italy). He directs the FOIST Laboratory for Social Policies and Training Processes, which runs CBPR programmes since its foundation in 1977. Andrea serves as President of the MA Course in Social Work and Social Policies. He has a solid record in action research and CBPR. He studies civic engagement of universities, social policies, and organized solidarity. He presently co-ordinates impact evaluation of National and Regional projects to contrast educational poverty.
Mariantonietta Cocco is a Confirmed researcher in Sociology of Cultural and Communicative Processes – SPS/08 at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Sassari (Italy).She teaches Sociology of Intercultural Processes and Sociology of Interethnic Relations. Her main research interests are related to the study of human mobility phenomena. In the Foist Laboratory she deals with international migrations with particular attention to the themes of the integration of immigrant communities, intercultural relations and co-development
Valentina Ghibellini is a Researcher in Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Sassari (Italy), and she has background and experience as a social worker. She is Mentor in Community-based Research and Social Responsibility of Higher Education and member of Sassari K4C Hub (FoistLAB) where she has been active and involved since 2012 in Action Research and CBR research projects.
Giulia Nurchi is a PhD student in Cultures, Literatures, Rights, Tourism and Territory at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Sassari (Italy). The main research interests concern participatory processes, community development, gender studies, social justice, education, social policies, and public engagement.
Laura Dessantis is a Research fellow in Sociology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Sassari (Italy). She has background and experience as a teacher in high school. Her main research interests concern evaluation, education, urban agricutlture and urban sociology.