POT Architettura Urbanistica and POT NEED

The Piano per l'Orientamento e il Tutorato (POT – Orientation and Tutoring Plan) is a three-year initiative (2023–2026) funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR). The programme aims to support students in the final years of upper secondary education in making informed choices about their future university studies, while also contributing to improved student retention and reducing university dropout rates.

DADU participates in the initiative through two national projects: the POT Architettura Urbanistica, dedicated to the Bachelor's degree programmes in Architectural and Design Sciences and Urban and Landscape Planning. Environmental Project of Cities and Territories, and the POT NEED (New Empathic Educational Design), developed for the Bachelor's degree programme in Design.

Between April and May 2026, as part of the POT Architettura Urbanistica, academic staff and student tutors delivered the workshop programme “The City as a Living Laboratory” for students in the final two years of upper secondary education. The programme was structured around two complementary learning experiences.

The first took place at DADU's campus in Alghero and centred on a guided field study through the historic centre of the city. During this educational walk, participants observed and analysed public and private urban spaces through sketching, direct observation and structured questionnaires, reflecting on the relationship between spatial design, urban quality and people's experience of the built environment.

The second session was delivered in the participating schools and focused on reflecting upon and developing the outcomes of the fieldwork. Working in the role of architects and urban planners, students developed design proposals addressing the challenges identified during the visit in the field, making use of digital design tools to communicate and refine their ideas.