By Giulia Piceni. Photographs by Gabriele Busi.

Attention students and aspiring students of Istituto Marangoni Firenze! We have some exciting news to share, as the Italian Ministry of Education has recognised all Undergraduate programmes with AFAM certifications. Courses validated mean a significant change that will revolutionise the way we will experience the school. To learn more about this shift, we spoke with the Director of Education, Francesca Giulia Tavanti, who played a crucial role in bringing about this change.

GP: First of all, thank you for being here with us. I’ll start right away with my first question. It’s been a year since our first interview. Could you share some of the projects you have proudly completed during this year?

FGT: First of all, I am proud of the human connections we have improved over the past year. It is not just about a single project but rather a general atmosphere. We are all more connected, both faculty and students, with a significant increase in interdepartmental collaboration. Previously, we would collaborate only in specific situations, but now we are more closely connected and collaborate more often.

GP: I agree. It’s completely different than the first year I started studying here. There is a real sense of wanting to build and improve altogether. 

FGT: It is one of the things I am most proud of, along with the second edition of Dis-Cycling in collaboration with Cartier. Compared to the previous one with Fendi, there has been an improvement in results, output and attitude. When re-doing a project that has already taken place, there is always a fear of repetition, but it is essential to focus on improvement and to value students’ talent. After the kick-off meeting, I immediately noticed the quality of ideas and design maturity, along with extensive research at a high level. This can only be a positive sign, and I’m excited and proud of the achievements made in such an effervescent climate at school.

GP: Speaking of milestones, many of the school’s courses have been validated by the Ministry of Education. How did this happen, and how do you feel about this achievement?

FGT: Here is another great satisfaction. It resulted from a collaborative effort between Course Leaders, Program Leaders, part of the faculty and myself. It was a long process that involved lots of trial and error, but getting that much-needed validation was priceless. To date, we have a very high percentage of validated programmes, which is a clear indication that the Italian Ministry recognises the hard work we put in to achieve excellence. It is worth noting that we are one of the few schools in the fashion and design field to have all validated programmes and this is no small feat. 

For the students, how does the experience at the Istituto Marangoni Firenze school change through this courses validation? 

FGT: The AFAM validations bring about a structural change that started with the Fashion Design & Accessories programme several years ago. We have been working to bring the same change in the Business, Styling and Art areas, and we have succeeded. Compared to last year, our programmes are no longer divided in terms but into semesters; exams allow students to earn credits, giving them more flexibility in our curriculum. This may result in a different workflow for the students, but it allows Istituto Marangoni Firenze to align with the Italian University system. It is also a step towards raising the school’s educational quality. We are already known for our excellence in higher education, and gaining ministerial accreditation is further confirmation of the quality of our programmes. 

GP: After all these achievements, what goals have you set for the next year? 

FGT: I believe that research is crucial for our school to progress. I have a dream of providing second-level Master’s programmes, and I aim to achieve it. This would allow anyone entering Istituto Marangoni Firenze to have academic progression. 
Additionally, I would like to introduce free extra activities for three-year programmes that can be taken as credits and added to the curriculum. The goal is, of course, to give more and more weight to the I’M Firenze Digest, which is the pride of our institute. 

GP: Speaking of I’M Firenze Digest, would you like to spend a few words about the project, especially now that it has undergone significant visual and content-related changes?  

FGT: I think that I’M Firenze Digest has successfully become a reflection of the school. It was initially an academic project by tutor Davide Daninos and myself with the aim of giving the students a platform to showcase their talents and abilities to the outside world. Now, nearly three years after its inception, our students’ work is supported by top-notch professionals such as the journalist Francesca Delogu, who has combined catchy content with a much more appealing visual design. 
What pleases me the most is that while it has become a form of expression for students, it is also emerging as a genuine information source with content that is not solely educational.