A piece of Sardinia is also among the five best Italian students from the College of Europe honored at Palazzo Chigi. In the multipurpose room of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Minister for European Affairs, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and Cohesion Policies, Tommaso Foti, awarded the scholarships offered by the Department for European Affairs. Among the five names called to the stage was Barbara Matta, from Sinnai.
"This award recognizes the five best Italian students at the College of Europe and, at the same time, is a concrete demonstration of our focus on the new skills required by the world of work," explained Foti, presiding over the ceremony.
The minister framed the award within a broader context, that of "a Europe called upon to face increasingly complex challenges, in a geopolitical and economic context characterized by growing uncertainty." To meet these challenges, he added, "we need well-prepared, competent young people capable of looking to the future with vision and responsibility." The recognition, he specified, "is not intended to be merely financial in nature, but above all a tribute to the commitment and excellence demonstrated throughout their studies. It seeks to highlight positive examples, stories of merit, and young talents who are a source of pride for our nation." "I would like to congratulate each of you," he concluded, "for the contribution that, through your skills, commitment, and preparation, you can offer to Europe and Italy as a whole."
For the young woman from Sinnai, the recognition comes at the end of a career already marked by excellence. Hers is a history of study and merit: her thesis, awarded the highest score—the "laurel crown" of 110—dealt with a prominent international topic: United Nations projects. This work also earned her a special cash prize. Her curriculum led her to compete in one of the continent's most selective educational programs, the College of Europe, and to emerge among the best Italian students.
For Barbara Matta, this is the culmination of a brilliant career. The only Sardinian admitted to the College of Europe on the Natolin campus in Warsaw, she attended the Victoria Amelina Master's program. To attend, she received a fully covered scholarship, funded in part by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and in part by the European Commission. Prior to that, she earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in Italy, at the University of Bologna, on the Forlì campus.
