Key Takeaways
Italy’s Ministry of Education launched Scuola Futura over a year ago to connect students with non-athletic careers in sports using the 2026 Winter Olympics as a platform
The nationwide program brings students together for workshops focused on data analytics, sports medicine, education, and arts and culture roles in sports
Exhibits and events have appeared across Italian cities, including Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, with students from different regions collaborating on Olympic-related projects
The initiative mirrors Utah 2034’s youth engagement strategy, which the International Olympic Committee praised when awarding that Games bid
Program organizers emphasize long-term career development impact beyond the February 2026 competition window
Ministry-Backed Program Expands Across Host Nation
With the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics opening this week, Italy’s Ministry of Education has been running a parallel effort for more than a year through Scuola Futura, a nationwide initiative designed to show young people the breadth of career opportunities connected to sports beyond athletic competition.
The program operates through mobile exhibits and workshops set up in Olympic host cities and other communities across Italy. In Cortina d’Ampezzo, one of the mountain towns hosting competition venues, students work in a camper van-style exhibit near the town’s historic center.
“We’re trying to do something to make students and the youth realize that they’re part of something bigger,” said Khadija Taufiq with Scuola Futura, speaking about the program’s presence in the Olympic host region.
Career-Focused Workshops Connect Regional Student Groups
Scuola Futura brings students from different regions of Italy together for workshops exploring careers in data analytics, sports medicine, education, and arts and culture centered around sports. The sessions use the proximity of the Winter Games to create hands-on learning experiences about the professional ecosystem supporting major sporting events.
Geovanne Lugavetale, a 17-year-old working at the Cortina exhibit, explained the program’s core focus: “The principal goal is to bring students closer to sports.”
Students participate in collaborative projects with Olympic educators and experience what organizers describe as direct connection to a global event happening in their communities. The program’s activities have expanded throughout Italy over the past year, using the build-up to the Games as a catalyst for career exploration.
Long-Term Impact Model Extends Beyond Competition
Scuola Futura organizers position the program as a legacy initiative rather than a short-term Olympic activation. The goal centers on changing how young people view their relationship to major sporting events and the career pathways those events represent.
“There is definitely that ambition and that aspiration. That excitement of being part of the Olympics and what it represents,” Taufiq said about student engagement with the program.
The approach aligns with strategies other Olympic hosts are developing. Utah’s 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Committee has outlined a similar youth involvement plan, which the International Olympic Committee specifically cited when awarding that Games bid.
via: KSLTV
photo: Alex Cabrero, KSL
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