On April 2, 2026, Sapienza University of Rome became the first Italian university to launch its Autism&Uni Toolkit — a practical, step-by-step guide to navigating university life, built by autistic people, for anyone who needs it.
Sapienza is one of the largest universities in Europe. Its size is a strength, but it also means that finding the right information — about enrollment, exams, support services, or simply where things are — can feel genuinely overwhelming. This toolkit was born from that reality.
Alice Sodi and Tiziana Naimo, autistic self-advocates from Neuropeculiar APS, led the development of the content. Their starting point was direct experience: conversations with autistic students at Sapienza, and their own firsthand knowledge of what it’s like to face a system that wasn’t designed with you in mind.
From that process came a resource that covers the full arc of university life — from choosing a degree course and navigating enrollment, to managing exams, asking for support, finding your way around campus, and understanding what university actually feels like day to day. Importantly, they also included testimonials from students who have already been through it, because hearing from someone who has faced the same questions is often more useful than any official guide.
Francesca Ventura handled technical implementation and accessibility, ensuring the toolkit works for the widest possible range of users. The project was coordinated by Ilaria Minio Paluello (ISTC-CNR) and supported by a Sapienza “Terza Missione” grant awarded to Prof. Giuseppina Porciello at the Department of Psychology.
The goal was never to replace Sapienza’s existing services — it was to make them visible and navigable for students who might otherwise fall through the gaps. We hope other Italian universities will follow.
