Professional opportunities

Expert in the Design and Implementation of Social Research on Sustainable Development
Functions
This professional profile is able to coordinate (or participate in) applied research groups, including interdisciplinary teams, on sustainability-related topics. Specifically, they can identify and define research problems, design research frameworks, and employ the main methods and tools of social research in the field of sustainable development. They are capable of designing and managing action-research processes aimed at promoting and implementing strategies for sustainable development at enterprise, local, and global levels, with particular reference to technological innovation, transformations of work, and the reduction of gender gaps. They can produce research reports and evidence-based policy recommendations, disseminate results through conferences, seminars, and scientific or outreach publications, and collect and analyze secondary data and indicators useful for empirical research and comparative studies on sustainable development at both local and global scales.
Competences
Knowledge and skills in:
● problem finding, problem setting, and problem solving through social research on different aspects of sustainable development;
● construction of effective research designs;
● use of social research methods and tools for data collection;
● analysis and elaboration of secondary and original data;
● drafting of scientific and/or outreach publications.
Graduates also acquire transversal skills such as:
• ability to work in teams (including in leadership roles);
• flexibility of thought and practice;
• autonomy and initiative in cognitive and organizational terms;
● ability to integrate diverse languages and fields of knowledge;
• creative and change-oriented thinking;
• active listening skills;
• problem-solving abilities;
• capacity to develop collaborative relationships;
• public speaking skills.
Career Opportunities
Graduates may work in:
• public and/or private research centers;
• public administrations (national and local);
• international organizations and the European Union;
• private enterprises;
• public enterprises;
• public enterprises in the utilities sector;
• representative bodies;
• associations and organizations in the Third Sector.
The Master’s Degree also prepares graduates to apply for PhD programs in the social sciences, for those interested in pursuing an academic career or further advanced training aimed at development and innovation.
Agent for Sustainable Development and the Promotion of Participatory Democracy
Functions
This profile can coordinate (or participate in) working groups dedicated to the design and implementation of innovative initiatives for sustainable development. They are able to develop foresight scenarios and analyze potential development trends, as well as to support projects and practices with particular attention to social relations and engagement with local administrations in the field of sustainable development. They can design, manage, and evaluate processes of stakeholder engagement and civil society participation, and identify, support, or coordinate processes of urban regeneration or social innovation. They are able to assess the social, cultural, and economic needs of territories and identify their development potential. They possess the ability to promote inter-organizational and inter-institutional cooperation and to identify potential funding sources for sustainable development projects.
Competences
Knowledge and skills in:
● problem finding, problem setting, and problem solving through social research on sustainable development;
● construction of effective research designs;
● use of social research methods and data collection tools;
● analysis and elaboration of secondary and original data;
● drafting of scientific and/or outreach publications.
Transversal competences include:
• teamwork (including leadership roles);
• flexibility in thinking and practice;
• autonomy and initiative in cognitive and organizational terms;
● integration of different languages and bodies of knowledge;
• creative and change-oriented thinking;
• listening skills;
• problem-solving abilities;
• collaborative relationship-building;
• public speaking.
Career Opportunities
Employment opportunities mirror those of the previous profile:
• public and/or private research centers;
• public administrations (national and local);
• international organizations and the European Union;
• private enterprises;
• public enterprises;
• public enterprises in the utilities sector;
• representative bodies;
• associations and organizations in the Third Sector.
The Master’s Degree also prepares graduates to apply for PhD programs in the social sciences.
Expert in Public and Corporate Sustainability Policies
Functions
This professional acts as a consultant and advisor to institutions, businesses, and private organizations—particularly at the local level—wishing to promote policies oriented toward sustainable development. They can design policy cycles, coordinate policy implementation processes, and employ quantitative and qualitative tools for policy evaluation. In particular, they facilitate systemic integration across policies in different fields of action, with the aim of ensuring their coherence. They can support the translation of norms and objectives into concrete processes of action, and play a central role in network management among public, private, third-sector actors, and policy experts. They may serve as corporate sustainability managers, provide consultancy on human resource training for social and environmental sustainability projects, and contribute to the governance of sustainable development policies, including through comparative analysis of international and European Union experiences.
Competences
Knowledge and skills in:
● problem finding, problem setting, and problem solving through social research on sustainable development;
● construction of effective research designs;
● use of methods and tools for social research and data collection;
● analysis and elaboration of secondary and original data;
● drafting of scientific and/or outreach publications.
Transversal competences include:
• teamwork (including leadership roles);
• flexibility of thought and practice;
• autonomy and initiative in cognitive and organizational terms;
● integration of different languages and forms of knowledge;
• creative and change-oriented thinking;
• listening skills;
• problem-solving abilities;
• collaborative relationship-building;
• public speaking.
Career Opportunities
Graduates may pursue careers in:
• public and/or private research centers;
• public administrations (national and local);
• international organizations and the European Union;
• private enterprises;
• public enterprises;
• public utilities companies;
• representative bodies;
• associations and organizations in the Third Sector.
The Master’s Degree also prepares graduates for admission to PhD programs in the social sciences.