Consulte e studenti nei quartieri di Padova: opportunità per lo sviluppo di una città universitaria

The purpose of this research is to try to give some possible answers to the following questions: are district counsels the right place to bring together the needs of the inhabitants of a district and its relative municipality, and therefore encourage the participation of the inhabitants in the construction of policies that concern them? In a context of a city-campus, does the voice of the university students who live in Padua have a way and a place to be heard? Through a qualitative methodology, consisting both of in-depth interviews with representatives of the district councils, and participatory observation in the districts themselves, the research shows that there are often no contacts between students and residents, and that administrative bodies and citizens seem to be oblivious of the impact that students could have on the territory. So far the district boards have not yet approached the university student population due to the fact that they are not formally recorded residents and that they do not actively participate in neighborhood life. The research addresses these issues and in conclusion suggests some policy lines.