Applications Open for “Digital Girls” Summer Camps – A Project Shaping the Future of Women in Tech
The free Digital Girls Summer Camps return once again – a project launched in 2013 through a shared vision between Unimore’s Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari” and the EWMD (European Women Management Development) Association. Aimed at female students in their third and fourth year of secondary school, the initiative introduces participants to computer science and technology in a creative, hands-on, and engaging way.
For the 2025 edition, Unimore – together with training institutions Fondazione Aldini Valeriani, CIS Unindustria Reggio Emilia and IFOA – is organising ten camps to take place in June in Modena, Reggio Emilia, and Mantua. Applications remain open until 6 June.
In Modena, two camps will focus on discovering coding and computer science through the creation of video games using Python or Unreal Engine, a 3D graphics engine. Another camp will explore electronic engineering, engaging students in building a platform based on microcontrollers such as Arduino. A further camp will bridge biology and computer science, integrating molecular biology with digital tools to analyse human genome mutations using public databases and specialised software, highlighting medical and ethical implications.
In Mirandola, a camp dedicated to the biomedical sector will guide students through algorithmic thinking and the responsible use of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and Arduino.
In Carpi, a “Green-tech Innovators” camp will introduce participants to core concepts of computational thinking within the context of mechanical engineering, addressing real-world challenges in energy efficiency and sustainability.
In Reggio Emilia, two camps will focus on computer engineering, where students will develop projects including the creation of video games or robots based on Arduino. The same activities will be offered in Correggio and Scandiano.
The camps are organised in partnership with local institutions, companies, and schools, including: Confindustria Emilia Area Centro, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Carpi, VEM Sistemi, Melazeta, CNH, Eggtronic Engineering, Applied Materials Italia, Medica S.p.A., Unione Terre d’Argine, the Municipality of Mirandola, and several secondary schools including Selmi (Modena), Manfredo Fanti, L. da Vinci, A. Meucci and G. Vallauri (Carpi), and Luosi–Pico and Galilei (Mirandola). Each camp is free to attend and can accommodate up to 20 participants. Participation can count towards PCTO (Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e per l’Orientamento – work-related learning pathways). The project is funded by EU resources through the Emilia-Romagna Region.
In collaboration with PromoImpresa Borsa Merci and LTO, the project has been active in Mantua since 2022, where Unimore runs a degree course in Computer Engineering. This edition introduces an exciting new feature: activities will also be open to middle school students. The Summer Camps, held at Fondazione UniverMantova, will cover video game development in Python and digital manufacturing using 3D printers and cutting plotters.
“This year more than ever, with the expansion of the Summer Camps to other engineering disciplines and biology, alongside computer science, our university is investing in Digital Girls as a key tool for breaking down gender stereotypes and promoting a more inclusive and innovative future in STEM,” explains Professor Claudia Canali from the Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari”, who has been involved in the project since its inception.
The project has also been recognised by European institutions: Digital Girls was featured in the European Commission’s She Figures 2021 report as a best practice for tackling the digital gender gap in Italy, and has been listed among the case studies of the OECD’s Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), which tracks successful public innovation initiatives across member countries.
To register for the Summer Camps in:
Modena:
https://www.fav.it/
Carpi e Mirandola:
https://www.ifoa.it/corsi/sd-
https://www.ifoa.it/corsi/sd-digitale-ragazze-digitali-2025-carpi-e-mirandola-mirandola/
Reggio Emilia:
https://www.ifoa.it/corsi/sd-
Mantova:
https://ltomantova.it/2025/02/
Categorie: International - english, Notizie_eng
Articolo pubblicato da: Ufficio Stampa Unimore - ufficiostampa@unimore.it