Milan Digital Week: three events focusing on AI, education and the professions of the future
“[For young people] a sea of extraordinary possibilities is opening up, but if they do not learn to navigate and do not have a sturdy boat, they risk sinking. And in this sea, no one can save themselves alone,” said sociologist and lecturer Mauro Magatti, commenting on the national survey “Me and Artificial Intelligence” (Indire, School Innovation Festival). According to recently presented data, AI has become a regular part of students’ habits, at least occasionally (94 per cent), but a very high proportion do not verify the outputs at all (56.1 per cent) or only rarely (38.4 per cent). There is an increasing need to foster young people’s critical thinking for an informed online life, particularly during the crucial phase of their studies and career development. It is with this in mind that the Fondazione Mondo Digitale is taking part, for the fifth consecutive year, in Milan Digital Week, bringing three initiatives dedicated to schools and the younger generation to the event. The event, organised by the City of Milan from 30 September to 4 October, is dedicated to digital development and innovation for citizens and businesses, with the theme ‘The Generative City’. Three sessions, both in person and online, will engage teachers and students in training on artificial intelligence, STEAM activities, role modelling and discussions with business professionals. The aim is to transform emerging technologies into concrete opportunities for learning, career guidance and educational innovation.
The first session takes place at ITET Maggiolini in Parabiago (Milan), Thursday 1 October. From 3.15 pm to 6.15 pm, Elisa Chierchiello, a trainer from the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, will lead a session as part of the Experience AI programme, a global educational initiative developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind, and funded by Google.org. Alternating between theoretical sessions and practical workshops, the session supports teachers in integrating AI into their teaching programmes, offering ideas, examples and useful tools for working in the classroom with a critical, inclusive and future-oriented approach.
Friday 2 October sees the first event of Coding Girls Power Up, the 2026 edition of the programme promoted by the Mondo Digitale Foundation with the support of the Micron Foundation to introduce girls and boys to STEAM skills and technology-related careers, with a particular focus on female participation. From 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, the Albert Einstein Sixth Form College in Vimercate (Monza and Brianza) will host an interactive training session that challenges students with practical, experimental activities on AI, technology, innovation and the skills of the future. The event will also feature volunteers and corporate experts from Micron Technology, who will inspire students by sharing their career journeys and the opportunities available in the technology sector. The initiative is part of the long-running Coding Girls project, which for over ten years has been offering young female secondary school students across Italy – and their male classmates – the opportunity to approach technical and scientific disciplines with confidence.
The day continues at 11.30 am with an online event dedicated to the launch of the sixth edition of Rising Youth, a project aimed at upper secondary school pupils to help them acquire and strengthen the skills needed to tackle the challenges and constant changes in the labour market, in partnership with SAP. Following the first interactive training session with SAP experts Davide Mambrini and Salvatore De Caro, alongside trainer Michele Fiori, the theme of the project’s final hackathon – which will take place during RomeCup 2027 – will be revealed.
