Empowerment beyond Maths: the end of the Summer Internship 2026

It’s not always about work. Most of time is about exploring human beings, passion, commitment, that creates a sense of loss when extraordinary meetings have to end. This is our feeling now that the Summer Internship Program, gathering 13 students from Pakistan, Sudan, Algeria, is terminated. Students are “back to normal”, to studying and exploring mathematics research outside Europe, where a huge talent pool deserves to be heard. However, we all carry something new, enriching with us after meeting up in Trieste and Perugia, in Italy: going beyond delving into mathematics, determination, confidence, community and belief stand as key takeaways for a common future driven by exploration and passion.

Organising this initiative is not easy, and students have well noted the shortcomings of such a logistical challenge. However, the relational and scientific value of what happened at ICTP in Trieste and in Perugia during the longstanding Scuola Matematica Interuniversitaria, is a lasting seed within organisers, students, and possibly some teachers who decided to attend the program, stand side to side and accompany students they would have hardly met otherwise, and mentors joining and exchanging their skills, ideas, experiences and understanding. Exchanges last and we still feel something empowering for all happened, especially during the ICTP phase from 6th to 18th August, the Internship phase that the IMM coordinated and supervised.

We are committed to improving and connecting even more future scientists, fresh skills, the humanity inside us and future opportunities of personal growth, learning, and thereby of success.

Find here the specific program, details and partners of the last edition

To convey our feelings, we share some pictures, hoping to gain the same feelings of appreciation and empowerment that this edition left behind and will accompany us until the next edition. See also here on Flickr the faboulous poster session photos by ICTP.

Social activities

Social activities organised included:

• Participation to music and artistic sessions;
• Visit to the city, natural parks and the coastal area;
• Visit to the ICTP’s SciFabLab;
• Lecture by TWAS representative Max Paoli on “Science and Inequality“;
• Participation to presentations on scholarship applications and research opportunities held by IMM alumni currently pursuing PhD across Italy.

Academic activities

During July 6 – 18 July, at the ICTP, participants have attended mini-courses and advanced research talks on different fields of mathematics for a total of 24 hours, gaining new perspectives on their research field of interest and more. Additionally, each student has had the opportunity to present a topic of their choice in an open poster session and a following “Gong Talk” session. The preparation of such presentations was guided by experienced mentors during the stay at ICTP also through mentoring sessions covering research gaps, opportunities, evolutions and challenges currently part of the global mathematics ecosystem. As a result, students have worked on their research projects in an international environment and rooted in the cognition of present and future research and work challenges.

Stay informed, stay passionate!