This is not just the name of the great Italian engineer. Fedele Cova, the man who led the construction of the Autostrada del Sole, was a designer who was able to look ahead: he understood that connecting Milan to Naples would not only mean speeding up travel, but also changing the way the country lived, reasoned and communicated. Today, the idea of progress – concrete, measurable, but also cultural – returns in a new context: the training of young people who choose the challenging path of journalism. This is where the two “Federico Cova” scholarships promoted by Autostrade per l’Italia come to support Master in Journalism and Media Communication del Messaggero, in collaboration with UniMarconi University. Two bags that combine memory and innovation, aimed at those who want to tell the story of the present with the equipment of the future.
ROAD
The master will start on December 12 and the program includes 12 weekends of training with face-to-face and streaming lessons, meetings with Il Messaggero authors, television journalists, communications experts, data analysts and new media professionals.
In addition to the secrets of the journalistic profession, this path will open up skills that are so necessary today: fact checking, data analysis, multimedia content design, use of artificial intelligence in editorial offices, communication management in social media and work in press offices. The master’s degree inspired by the figure of Paolo Graldi, historic director of Messaggero and Mattino, remains true to the belief: innovation is necessary, but without losing the rigor and ethics of the profession.
SELECTION
The two “Federico Cova” scholarships, aimed at two young people under 30 with a degree in economics or humanities, join the two “Luca Cifoni” scholarships, established thanks to the support of the Lottomatica Foundation and dedicated to the economic journalist Il Messaggero who passed away in 2022. Cifoni, who for many years meticulously reported on issues related to employment, taxation and social security, is considered one of the most attentive and competent voices in the Italian economic panorama. The grant dedicated to him continues his intellectual legacy and his way of understanding the profession. Therefore, in total, there will be four young people admitted to the master’s program with significant support: two “Cova” scholarships and two “Cifoni” scholarships. Applications for both must be sent no later than November 25th.
Once the most promising profiles are identified, we enter the determination phase. The selection procedure follows the Master’s philosophy: skills, achievements, potential. The first phase is dedicated to the evaluation of qualifications, with special attention to previous experience in journalism, which is considered a preferential requirement. But in the second stage, the candidates will meet with the examining commission: Massimo Martinelli, editor-in-chief of Il Messaggero, Guido Boffo, editorialist and deputy editor of the newspaper and academic director Angelo Romeo, as well as representatives of Autostrade per l’Italia. A decisive comparison, designed to understand motivation, attitudes and abilities to face the challenges of a profession that currently requires preparation, vision and flexibility.
SKILLS
The essence of the course remains a curricular internship: 150 hours in the editorial office of the Caltagirone Editore Group – which publishes Il Messaggero, Il Mattino, Il Gazzettino, il Corriere Adriatico, il Quotidiano di Puglia and Leggo – or in the press offices of companies and institutions of national interest. For a select few students, it is also possible to closely follow work related to the Winter Olympics, one of the most educational experiences the course offers. To find out more about the program and participation methods, you can see the announcement on unimarconi.it or take part in the Open Day on November 15 2025, held at Messaggero’s headquarters at via del Tritone 152 in Rome (also streamed from 10.30). A unique opportunity to meet the teachers, learn about the master’s modules – from justice reporting to politics, from radio and television journalism to foreign affairs – and orient yourself in a profession that is changing rapidly with the advent of new technologies and AI. The Master issues a first-level university diploma and 60 training credits. For those who complete their application by November 24, 2025, there is also a Reporter Bonus, which is a reduced fee dedicated to students who choose to apply. General registration will remain open until December 5.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
