General Student Council (CGS)

ARIA virtual assistant: ARIA emerged from discussions between the CGS and the University Web Ecosystem Coordination and Steering Hub, following a proposal developed within the CGS and subsequently developed and co-designed with the University. It is a virtual assistant based on artificial intelligence systems vetted by the University, serving as a first point of contact for students’ enquiries and placing Insubria at the forefront of the adoption of such tools. ARIA can access the University’s public documents, including regulations and officially registered documents, as well as the content of its institutional website. It answers a wide range of questions, except those concerning individual students’ academic records. The University introduced the service on 28 July 2026 through a dedicated press release.

Online tuition fee calculator: Following a proposal from the CGS, the University replaced its previous student fee calculator, which consisted of an Excel file, with an online calculator updated in accordance with the Student Fees Regulations applicable to each academic year. The new online tuition fee calculator is already available.

Improvements to the University website: Through discussions with the University Web Ecosystem Coordination and Steering Hub, the CGS helped identify issues and potential improvements to the website, focusing particularly on ease of finding information, links, degree programme pages and the user experience.

Right to education

The CGS has undertaken several initiatives to support students, including:

Merit award: The CGS proposed revised, fairer criteria for allocating the merit award under Article 8 of the Student Fees Regulations. The aim is to ensure equal opportunities for students on degree programmes with different levels of complexity and historically different average marks. The proposal provides for:

1. Separate rankings for each degree programme, so that merit is assessed within the relevant academic context.
2. A merit score inspired by the so-called “Erasmus Formula”, combining the weighted average mark with progress towards completing the programme on schedule, measured as the ratio of credits earned to those expected for the student’s year of enrolment.
3. A proportional allocation of awards across degree programmes according to student numbers, based on the total number of awards determined by the Board of Governors.

ISEE-based regional right-to-education tax: Within the regional working group on the right to university education, the CGS worked to ensure that the regional right-to-education tax would vary according to ISEE, the indicator of a household’s economic circumstances, rather than simply being increased for all students.

Previously, the enrolment charge consisted of a fixed regional tax of €140.00, payable by all students, and stamp duty of €16.00. From the 2026/2027 academic year, the regional tax is divided into three ISEE bands, pursuant to Article 6 of Lombardy Regional Law No. 13 of 7 August 2025, as incorporated into Article 2 of the Student Fees Regulations for the 2026/2027 academic year (Rector’s Decree No. 693/2026 of 14 May 2026).

The bands are defined by reference to the ISEE eligibility threshold for the DSU student support scholarship set by the Lombardy Region for the 2026/2027 academic year, which is €26,887.93. Stamp duty of €16.00 is added to each amount:

1. First band – €130.00: ISEE up to €26,887.93.
2. Second band – €160.00: ISEE above €26,887.93 and up to €53,775.86, twice the eligibility threshold.
3. Third band – €190.00: ISEE above €53,775.86, or failure to submit an ISEE certificate.

Open classrooms: The CGS secured access to classrooms outside scheduled teaching hours. Previously, students were required to leave classrooms at the end of classes; they can now also use them for lunch and remain after classes have finished.

Agreements and the Red Cross canteen: The CGS monitored and encouraged agreements entered into by the University and began discussions with the new management of the Red Cross canteen in Via H. J. Dunant, Varese.

Sant’Abbondio campus café: Thanks to the work of the previous CGS, the café service at the Sant’Abbondio campus in Como was put out to tender and reopened. On 7 November 2025, “Le Tentazioni” café reopened in the Sant’Abbondio cloister. During its current term, the CGS has continued to monitor the situation.

The CGS helped organise the following initiatives:

• The University of Insubria’s Graduates’ Celebration
• Open Day
• Welcome Day

The CGS has undertaken promotional activities and initiatives encouraging interaction, participation and social engagement, including:

NextGen Campus Insubria: On 16 October 2026, the CGS organised NextGen Campus Insubria in Room 11MTG of the Monte Generoso building in Varese, attended by more than 100 people. The event offered a morning of interdisciplinary perspectives on current affairs, divided into three sessions: (i) Geopolitics, markets and global transformations; (ii) Environmental sustainability and the ecological transition; and (iii) A round-table discussion on artificial intelligence. The event concluded with a complimentary lunch for participants. Attendance qualified for academic recognition.

The CGS also launched a wide-ranging survey of all student representatives at the University, including those who are not CGS members, to gather requests and concerns.

Drinking water fountains: The first drinking water fountain has been installed at the Chamber of Commerce premises in central Varese. The CGS has proposed installing a further ten fountains across the Varese, Como and Busto Arsizio campuses.

Erasmus grade conversion tables: The CGS is working towards the adoption of University guidelines for converting grades obtained during Erasmus mobility periods.

Evening opening of study rooms: The CGS is working to secure evening access to one study room at each campus.

New CGS Regulations: In consultation with the Secretariat for University Governing Bodies, the CGS has drafted new General Student Council Regulations to replace the current regulations enacted by Rector’s Decree No. 963 of 29 October 2021.

Maintenance ticketing system: The CGS has requested more effective monitoring of maintenance work across the University through the introduction of a ticketing system accessible to student representatives and reception staff.

Further proposals for the website: Through continued discussions with the University Web Ecosystem Coordination and Steering Hub, the CGS has put forward further proposals to improve the visual design and user experience (UX) of the University’s websites.

Recognition of student representation activities: The CGS is calling for the time devoted to student representation to be recognised through more tangible measures alongside the Open Badge, and for representatives travelling on official business to receive reimbursement of their expenses.

Throughout its term of office, the CGS has also maintained ongoing monitoring and dialogue with the University’s governing bodies and the heads of the relevant divisions, particularly in the following areas:

• Parking, spaces and accessibility: in collaboration with the Division for Property, Equipment and Information Systems.
• Teaching and education: with particular attention to working and part-time students.
• Artificial intelligence: the CGS has followed the work of the University AI Committee, which includes a student representative, and contributed to drafting the Guidelines on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in administration, research and teaching.
• Information systems, cybersecurity and digital transformation.
• The right to education and substantive equality: including through the Working Group on Student Fees.
• Quality assurance: dialogue and monitoring with the University Quality Assurance Board (PQA) and the University Evaluation Board (NUV), including in preparation for visits by ANVUR’s Expert Evaluation Panels (CEV).
• Vending machines.