Third mission

Third Mission at the Department of Political Science and International Relations (DEMS)

Alongside teaching and research, the Third Mission represents a fundamental part of the activities of the Department of Political Science and International Relations (DEMS). Through the Third Mission, the Department shares knowledge, research results and expertise with society, institutions, schools, businesses, professionals, associations and local communities.

As a multidisciplinary Department bringing together expertise in political science, law, economics, history, sociology, psychology and related fields, DEMS has traditionally maintained a strong relationship with the surrounding community. Its Third Mission activities aim to contribute to the civil, cultural, social and economic development of society and to strengthen the connection between academic knowledge and the needs of the wider community.

This page provides an overview of the main Third Mission activities carried out by DEMS. A complete English translation of the individual sections, documents and resources is currently being prepared and will be available soon.

Third Mission: knowledge serving society

Third Mission activities connect academic research and education with society and the labour market. They involve both the economic and social valorisation of knowledge and the production of cultural, educational and social public value.

The main areas include:

dissemination and public communication of research;
Public Engagement and activities open to citizens;
continuing and advanced education;
partnerships with public institutions, schools, organisations and businesses;
third-party research, consultancy and commissioned activities;
career guidance, placement and interaction with the labour market;
research and Third Mission laboratories;
knowledge transfer and support for entrepreneurship;
educational, cultural and social projects developed in cooperation with the local community.

Public Engagement

Public Engagement is one of the most important components of the Department's Third Mission. DEMS promotes seminars, conferences, debates, workshops, public meetings, educational projects, outreach activities and initiatives aimed at audiences beyond the academic community.

Over the years, activities have addressed a wide range of topics, including democracy and citizenship, legality and the fight against organised crime, migration and social inclusion, gender issues, labour and social policies, public administration, international relations, economic development, taxation, sustainability, human rights and contemporary political and social transformations.

Since 1 January 2025, the University of Palermo has used the IRIS TM module as the official system for registering and monitoring Public Engagement initiatives.

View the Public Engagement section (currently in Italian)

Partnerships and cooperation with society

DEMS has developed an extensive network of collaborations with public bodies, judicial institutions, schools, professional organisations, associations, businesses, cultural organisations, universities and national and international partners.

These agreements support research, education, professional training, student placements, scientific dissemination, social innovation and joint projects. Recent collaborations also address areas such as restorative justice, cybersecurity, citizenship and legality education, international cooperation and professional skills development.

Explore agreements and partnerships (currently in Italian)

Research, consultancy and third-party activities

The multidisciplinary expertise available at DEMS enables the Department to provide research, consultancy, training and specialised services to institutions, public administrations, companies, professionals and organisations.

Areas in which the Department has developed significant expertise include:

public ethics, legality and anti-corruption policies;
corporate compliance and prevention of corporate crime;
management of assets seized or confiscated from criminal organisations;
clinical risk management;
System Dynamics and organisational analysis;
labour law and public administration;
personal data protection;
professional and continuing education.

Find out more about third-party activities (currently in Italian)

Placement, careers and employability

The DEMS Placement Service supports students and graduates in their transition from university to the labour market and strengthens the relationship between academic programmes and employers.

Its activities include:

individual career planning and guidance;
skills assessment;
information on local, national and international labour markets;
CV and cover-letter preparation;
personal branding and networking;
preparation for interviews, selection processes and assessment tests;
support for internships;
support for entrepreneurship, start-ups and spin-offs;
promotion and economic valorisation of research results.

Visit the DEMS Placement Service

Research and Third Mission laboratories

The Department has promoted multidisciplinary laboratories that combine research, education and interaction with society. The initiatives presented in the Third Mission section include projects devoted to historical memory, organisational and corporate issues, wellbeing, human resources, healthcare management and the fight against organised crime.

Examples include:

Happiness Laboratory, an interdisciplinary exploration of happiness and its representations;
Officina 92/22, a multidisciplinary project on the political, social and historical significance of 1992 in Italy;
the System Dynamics Laboratory for clinical risk assessment and management;
the multidisciplinary Lab 231, focusing on corporate crime and organisational prevention models;
activities concerning the study and management of seized and confiscated assets;
the Human Resources Psychology Laboratory, supporting research, teaching and Third Mission activities.

Explore the laboratories (currently in Italian)

Advanced and continuing education

Knowledge transfer also takes place through advanced and continuing education programmes aimed at professionals, public administrations and other external audiences. The Third Mission section includes advanced training courses, INPS professional development initiatives and executive education programmes.

Advanced and continuing education (currently in Italian)

Civil and commercial mediation

Through Mediare con UniPa, the Department has also developed specialised activities in mediation and conflict resolution. Training combines theoretical knowledge with practical exercises and role-playing and addresses mediation techniques, conflict management, communication, alternative dispute resolution and the legal framework governing mediation.

Learn more about Mediare con UniPa (currently in Italian)

Podcasts, films and audiovisual dissemination

The Department also uses audiovisual communication to make academic knowledge accessible to wider audiences.

Projects presented in the section include:

Scienze PolitiCast, a podcast series bringing together the University, institutions and experts to discuss current political, economic and social issues;
Falcone e Borsellino: il fuoco della memoria, a documentary produced within the UniPa project on legality and the fight against organised crime;
My Home, a short film developed within a project concerning unaccompanied foreign minors leaving the reception system and access to housing.

Discover DEMS audio and video productions

Seminars, workshops and public events

Seminars and workshops are a central element of DEMS interaction with the academic community and the wider public. They provide opportunities for dialogue among scholars, students, professionals, institutions and citizens and address major contemporary political, legal, historical, social and economic issues.

Browse seminars and workshops (currently in Italian)

Monitoring and forms

The Department monitors and catalogues its Third Mission activities in accordance with University procedures. The dedicated forms section provides instructions and documents for the publication and cataloguing of departmental Third Mission initiatives.

Forms and instructions (currently in Italian)

Explore the Third Mission section

The individual pages and documents linked above are currently mainly available in Italian. The complete English version of the DEMS Third Mission section is under preparation and will be published soon.