In these days, we have received concerning news. The Regional Council of Lombardy has recently approved a three-year budget proposal for the period 2024-2026, which entails a drastic cut of 12 million euros to the funds for Regional University Student Grants (DSU). Although this decision is not yet final, pending approval from the Commissions and the Regional Council, the potentially negative consequences raise legitimate concerns.
Indeed, DSU funds constitute a crucial resource to ensure access to higher education for thousands of students. Currently, these funds are already insufficient to cover all eligible candidates for scholarships, making the prospect of further cuts even more unsettling.
As we know, the Polytechnic University of Milan has its own resources, benefiting all eligible students. However, we cannot overlook the issue.
As student representatives, we have decided to collaborate with all student groups in the Lombardy region, and together, we have sent a joint letter to regional institutions expressing our concerns about this extremely negative decision for all students facing economic disadvantages, who rely entirely on scholarships every year.
As stated in the letter we have written: “This action could undermine the principle expressed in Article 34 of the Constitution, which states that students ‘without means’ have the right to attain the highest levels of education, and this is to be ensured also through Scholarships: a similar cut, even in terms of projections for the coming academic years, would seriously jeopardize the right to education for these students.”
