The Degree Program participates in the orientation events promoted by the University and the Department and organizes additional specific activities to present the features of the study path and enable newly enrolled students to begin their studies with all the necessary information.
The orientation activities, organized by the Department’s Orientation and Tutoring Committee, are primarily aimed at two groups of stakeholders: prospective students and first-year students.
For prospective students, starting from November, the Department holds presentation days for Degree Programs and the services offered by the Department of Economics (Open Days). These activities are mainly addressed to students in their fourth and fifth year of secondary school within the regional and provincial territory, with a view to enrollment in bachelor’s degree programs. However, during the same events, the contents of the master’s degree programs are also illustrated, allowing prospective students to adequately and consciously plan their entire academic career. These meetings take place at the Department of Economics, via dei Verdi no. 75, Messina, on dates and times agreed with the School Principals. Schools interested in organizing these meetings submit a request through a dedicated form available on the Department’s website.
Furthermore, the Department of Economics participates in orientation initiatives organized by secondary schools for graduating students and other youth-oriented events. Participation in such initiatives goes beyond a mere presentation of the study paths and occupational opportunities offered by the various degree programs; experiential workshops based on games or interactive techniques are also conducted.
Additionally, in April and May, meetings entitled “And now…?” are organized for students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs who intend to continue their studies. The coordinator of the master’s degree program in "Consulting and Business Management" presents the study path under their responsibility, highlighting the employment opportunities offered.
Each student enrolled in the master’s degree program in "Consulting and Business Management" is assigned a tutor by the Orientation and Tutoring Committee, chosen from among the program’s faculty members. The tutor’s role is to support the student throughout their educational path by providing guidance, assistance, motivation, and fostering active participation in the learning process. This also aims to remove obstacles to effective attendance through initiatives tailored to the individual’s needs, aptitudes, and requirements.
Tutoring for students enrolled in the Degree Program is part of the institutional duties of the faculty members. The names of the faculty tutors, as well as their office hours, are available on the Department’s official website. The modalities for delivering the tutoring service are established by the Department’s Orientation and Tutoring Committee.
In addition to the activities carried out by faculty members, further initiatives are undertaken by students themselves within the P2P Project of the Department of Economics at the University of Messina. This is an integrated system of services, actions, and orientation initiatives both at entry and during the course of studies, aimed at different groups (first-year students, enrolled students both on time and delayed, international students, students with disabilities). It forms part of the broader orientation and tutoring project developed by the Department of Economics in collaboration with the University’s Orientation and Placement Center (C.O.P.). The project consists of a series of interconnected initiatives inspired by the so-called peer education approach—an educational strategy aimed at triggering a spontaneous process of sharing knowledge, emotions, and experiences among members of a group of equal status, characterized by a strong pursuit of authenticity and harmony between the participants. It should be emphasized that these initiatives are intended to complement, not replace, the tutoring activities already provided at the departmental level and by individual faculty members.
Finally, it is important to highlight that during the bachelor’s degree studies, for students enrolled in the Department’s programs, a significant and continuous consultation activity to guide the choice of the master’s degree course is provided not only by tutors but also by the professors of the individual teaching courses.