The second edition of the university course for professional development (Cuap) “Social Impact Assessment” – supported by the Turin Chamber of commerce and realized within the framework of the Turin Social Impact Strategic Plan – is now underway. The university course, organized by the Department of Management of the University of Turin with the Polytechnic University of Turin (members of the Social Entrepreneurship Committee), the Piccatti Milanese Foundation, Cottino Social Impact Campus, Tiresia, the training bodies of the Cooperative Centres (Consorzio Il Nodo for Confcooperative Piemonte Nord and Inforcoop Ecipaa Piemonte for Legacoop Piemonte), and the Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, has seen a boom in enrolments. “We are delighted – comments Professor Paolo Biancone, scientific director of the course -: the high number of enrolments shows that the topics addressed are of interest to the territory.

The CUAP is one of the proposals put forward by the Competence Center for Social Impact Measurement, based at the Turin Chamber of commerce and available to all public and private, profit and non-profit organizations in the area.

The aim of the course is to learn social impact assessment methodologies in line with the Chamber of commerce‘s Social Entrepreneurship Committee Guidelines.

Through a hybrid and highly innovative teaching approach, the CUAP blends theoretical and practical guidelines to identify impact management strategies and measure them. A final business case completes the sharing of learning among participants. The course deals with social impact assessment as applied to projects for accessing European, national or local funding, and extensive local, sporting, cultural and conference events. It starts from the assumption that every event or every systemic action brings about a change that can be measured and assessed with specific techniques, mastered by impact assessors.

The novelty of this edition is the completely online formula. Given the current pandemic situation, the entire course has been designed remotely, also taking the opportunity to bring the culture of impact assessment beyond the borders of Turin with nationwide dissemination.

At the end of the course, it will be possible to obtain certification, issued by Cepas, a third-party certification body, and registration in the national register of Impact Assessors.

“We are very satisfied – comments Professor Paolo Biancone, scientific director of the course – the high number of registrations shows that the issues addressed are of interest to the territory. The first edition had certified 84 impact evaluators. The novelty of this edition is the completely online formula. Given the current pandemic situation, the entire course has been designed remotely, taking the opportunity to bring the culture of impact assessment beyond the borders of Turin with a national spread”.

“The Cuap is one of the proposals put forward by the Competence Center for Social Impact Measurement and is available to all public and private, profit and non-profit organizations in the area,” says Guido Bolatto, Secretary General of the Turin Chamber of Commerce, headquarters of the Center. “We are creating a center to strengthen evaluation culture and practices through guidance, methodological support, training, updating and alignment with international methodologies”.