Home

/

Our strategic approach

Our Strategic Approach

Addressing educational poverty is not just a moral imperative. It is also an economic necessity. Studies show that reducing early school drop-out rates can significantly improve a country’s GDP and social mobility indicators. At UniCredit Foundation, we recognise that long-term prosperity depends on equitable access to education, especially in underserved regions of Europe.

Our Strategic Vision

Our 2022-2023 plan was focused on ensuring that students stay in school and have a clear path to the job market or university, based on the strategic objectives we set in 2022 for the three-year planning cycle:

Combating early school drop-out
Enhancing employability
Encouraging university attainment
Supporting university study and research

To fulfil these objectives, we worked with international partners, funded grassroots initiatives, and conducted research across the countries where we operate.

With a shared sense of purpose and a common vision, in 2024 the UniCredit Foundation remained committed to its evolving strategy, with interventions built on what we learned from our previous efforts to fulfil the above objectives, ensuring we remain consistent in our mission.

This strategy has also been informed by the insights we collected over the past years fighting educational poverty, which remains a persistent challenge in Europe.

Our Strategic Vision

Our 2022-2023 plan was focused on ensuring that students stay in school and have a clear path to the job market or university, based on the strategic objectives we set in 2022 for the three-year planning cycle:

Combating early school drop-out
Enhancing employability
Encouraging university attainment
Supporting university study and research

To fulfil these objectives, we worked with international partners, funded grassroots initiatives, and conducted research across the countries where we operate.

With a shared sense of purpose and a common vision, in 2024 the UniCredit Foundation remained committed to its evolving strategy, with interventions built on what we learned from our previous efforts to fulfil the above objectives, ensuring we remain consistent in our mission.

This strategy has also been informed by the insights we collected over the past years fighting educational poverty, which remains a persistent challenge in Europe.

20% of 15-year-olds

fail to meet grade-level standards in reading, maths, and science.

49% of Europe’s teachers

are over 50 causing significant shortage by 2030.

only 1 in 3 youths

hold a university degree in many countries.

The Pillars of Our Approach

Educational poverty is rarely the result of a single factor.

It stems from a complex web of challenges, economic hardship, regional inequalities, teacher shortages, underfunded schools, and limited access to mental health or social support. Our approach recognises these systemic barriers and seeks to address them in an integrated, community-driven way that reflects the diverse realities of the countries we serve.

Our Strategic Vision: The Pillars of Our Approach

We believe that schools should be nurturing places and environments where children can thrive, even in communities with limited resources. In 2024, we continued to partner with international organisations and local initiatives, ensuring that community-driven change remained at the heart of our efforts to combat educational poverty.

Our approach included:

Integrated student support: Programmes addressing out-of-school learning barriers for students and families, such as mental and physical health services, hot meal programmes, school supplies and transportation.
Expanded learning time and opportunities:
Initiatives like after-school and remedial support,
summer camps, and access to cultural, sports, and
leisure activities.
Family and community engagement: Strengthening connections between schools, families, and the broader community to foster collaboration and support.
Collaborative leadership and practices: Working with people, community members, and local organisations in planning, implementing, and monitoring educational initiatives.

The Pillars of Our Approach

Educational poverty is rarely the result of a single factor.

It stems from a complex web of challenges, economic hardship, regional inequalities, teacher shortages, underfunded schools, and limited access to mental health or social support. Our approach recognises these systemic barriers and seeks to address them in an integrated, community-driven way that reflects the diverse realities of the countries we serve.

Our Strategic Vision: The Pillars of Our Approach

We believe that schools should be nurturing places and environments where children can thrive, even in communities with limited resources. In 2024, we continued to partner with international organisations and local initiatives, ensuring that community-driven change remained at the heart of our efforts to combat educational poverty.

Our approach included:

Integrated student support: Programmes addressing out-of-school learning barriers for students and families, such as mental and physical health services, hot meal programmes, school supplies and transportation.
Expanded learning time and opportunities:
Initiatives like after-school and remedial support,
summer camps, and access to cultural, sports, and
leisure activities.
Family and community engagement: Strengthening connections between schools, families, and the broader community to foster collaboration and support.
Collaborative leadership and practices: Working with people, community members, and local organisations in planning, implementing, and monitoring educational initiatives.

1. A Community-Centric Approach

We believe that schools should be nurturing places environments where children can thrive, even in communities with limited resources.

In 2024, We continued to partner with global organisations and local initiatives to ensure that community-driven change remains at the heart of our efforts to combat educational poverty.

Teach For All has embraced the Community-Centric Approach across Romania, Italy, and Austria.

2. Scaling and innovation in Education

In July 2024, we launched the €14 million open-ended Edu-Fund Platform, designed to scout new partners and scale the most effective programmes. Through the three rounds of the platform’s launch, the latest of which closed on 30 April 2025, we identified 30 innovative and scalable initiatives in the field of education - both large and small - aligned with the Foundation’s strategic priorities. A new edition of the Edu-Fund Platform will be launched in autumn 2025.

3. Educational Changes Through Research

Investing in first-hand research in the field of education enables us to deepen our understanding and deliver practical solutions to educational organisations and policymakers, earning recognition in the global academic community.

Research is essential for identifying the root causes of educational inequality and understanding what interventions make the greatest impact.

Tracking our impact

Throughout 2024, the UCF Dashboard, a comprehensive tool for tracking all our initiatives, not only served to monitor data but also to support the UniCredit Foundation’s strategy.

Recognising the importance of pairing quantitative data with qualitative information we adopted a mixed-methods approach: first, we set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound) KPIs to meet our sustainability goals; then, we identified the main qualitative elements needed to assess the nuances of the educational programmes we support.

By integrating qualitative analysis, we are able to understand the effectiveness of our KPIs, recalibrate them and, most importantly, pinpoint areas where our strategy may need adjustment or further development.

Our relationships with non-profit partners and our local banks are crucial to this approach. While funding and monitoring are essential, it is also the ongoing dialogue that contributes to the success of our programmes and delivers meaningful impact.

Tracking our impact

Throughout 2024, the UCF Dashboard, a comprehensive tool for tracking all our initiatives, not only served to monitor data but also to support the UniCredit Foundation’s strategy.

Recognising the importance of pairing quantitative data with qualitative information we adopted a mixed-methods approach: first, we set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound) KPIs to meet our sustainability goals; then, we identified the main qualitative elements needed to assess the nuances of the educational programmes we support.

By integrating qualitative analysis, we are able to understand the effectiveness of our KPIs, recalibrate them and, most importantly, pinpoint areas where our strategy may need adjustment or further development.

Our relationships with non-profit partners and our local banks are crucial to this approach. While funding and monitoring are essential, it is also the ongoing dialogue that contributes to the success of our programmes and delivers meaningful impact.

Overview of educational programmes monitored through the dashboard

Grassroots initiatives: 26 programmes in 12 countries
International partnerships: 2 initiated in 2023, covering 10 countries
New initiatives selected through the Edu-Fund
Platform: X to be initiated in 2025, covering X countries

Overview of educational programmes monitored through the dashboard

Grassroots initiatives: 26 programmes in 12 countries
International partnerships: 2 initiated in 2023, covering 10 countries
New initiatives selected through the Edu-Fund
Platform: X to be initiated in 2025, covering X countries

Key cumulative target figures

Total

Grassroots initiatives

International partnerships

Schools

10,964

Students

682,565

Teachers

12,739

Volunteers

5,392

Partners in the Community

196

Schools

684

Students

54,170

Teachers

2,759

Volunteers

1,714

Partners in the Community

196

Schools

10,280

Students

628,395

Teachers

9,980

Volunteers

3,678

Partners in the Community

n.a.