“A LOGO FOR INSULA” – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS ADDRESSED TO YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 18–30

INSULA – INTERDISCIPLINARY NETWORK FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF ISLANDS AND ARCHIPELAGOS

“A LOGO FOR INSULA” – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS ADDRESSED TO YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 18–30

Deadline: 23 December 2025

CONTEXT
INSULA – Interdisciplinary Network for the Sustainability of Islands and Archipelagos – is a newly established laboratory within the University Centre for International Cooperation (CUCI) at the University of Parma. The initiative was launched by a group of researchers – Martina Giuffrè, Michele Maccari and Osman Arrobbio – who recognised the unique role that islands and archipelagos can play in understanding and addressing some of the most urgent global challenges of our time.

INSULA does not consider islands as marginal or remote spaces, but rather as dynamic and complex environments where issues such as climate change, environmental justice, biodiversity loss, migration, tourism, food sovereignty and cultural hybridisation intersect in particularly intense and visible ways. Islands are therefore understood not simply as territories to be studied, but as active spaces of resistance, innovation and learning – living laboratories capable of generating transformative knowledge and practices that can also be applied to continental contexts.

The laboratory brings together scholars from a wide range of disciplines to foster collaboration in research, teaching, international cooperation and dialogue with society. From theoretical reflection to applied research, from training programmes to fieldwork with local communities and institutions, INSULA aims to build interdisciplinary bridges and promote a critical and situated understanding of insularity.

Rooted in principles of inclusiveness and experimentation, INSULA addresses a broad spectrum of interconnected topics – including ecological transition, sustainable tourism, migration, social innovation and offshore jurisdictions – while remaining open to new and emerging research areas.

Ultimately, INSULA envisions islands not as isolated points on the map but as relational spaces that challenge conventional notions of geography, development and knowledge — inspiring new ways of thinking about sustainability and solidarity on a planetary scale.

Call for Proposals
Design of the Logo for INSULA – Interdisciplinary Network for the Sustainability of Islands and Archipelagos

University Centre for International Cooperation (CUCI) – University of Parma

Art. 1 – Subject of the Call
This call concerns the design of an original logo intended to represent INSULA – Interdisciplinary Network for the Sustainability of Islands and Archipelagos, recently established within the University Centre for International Cooperation (CUCI) of the University of Parma.

The logo must reflect the mission of the laboratory, which focuses on the interdisciplinary study of islands and archipelagos as dynamic, complex and innovative spaces, crucial for addressing issues such as climate change, environmental justice, biodiversity loss, migration, sustainable tourism, food sovereignty, cultural hybridisation, social innovation and offshore jurisdictions.

Art. 2 – Purpose and Objectives of the Logo
The logo must:

- express the interdisciplinary and inclusive identity of INSULA;
- evoke the relational, systemic and non-marginal character of islands;
- represent the idea of a “living laboratory” and a bridge between research, teaching, international cooperation and society;
- be easily adaptable to different communication media (websites, editorial materials, presentations, events, social media).

Art. 3 – Technical Requirements
Participants must submit:

- a complete colour palette;
- a logo in both colour and black-and-white versions;
- one to three PDF files, accompanied by PNG and SVG or equivalent vector formats;
- a short descriptive report explaining the graphic proposal, together with a brief self-presentation (see Annex 2);
- applications: at least two examples of logo application (posters, merchandise, etc.).

The proposal must be original and created specifically for the competition.

Art. 4 – Participation
Participation is free of charge:

open to young people aged 18 to 30 of all nationalities residing in Parma or in municipalities of the Province of Parma, either permanently or for study, work or other reasons;
applications (see Annex 1) may be submitted individually or in teams of up to three people;
submissions must be sent exclusively in digital format to the coordinator of the INSULA laboratory, Prof. Martina Giuffrè by the mail insula.cuci@unipr.it;

the deadline is 11:59 p.m. on 23 December 2025;

the winner will be selected by 15 January 2026.

Art. 5 – Submission Procedures
Proposals must be sent by the deadline to the following email address: insula.cuci@unipr.it

with the subject line: “INSULA Logo Competition – Name Surname / Group name”.

Applicants must also attach the two completed forms (Application Form Annex 1; Creative Idea Description Annex 2) available at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ABe3_Y3IIq2nJDEZMtsE6az79o2Lamky?usp=drive_link

Art. 6 – Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be assessed based on the following criteria:

- Originality and Distinctiveness: ability to create a unique and recognisable logo;
- Communication Effectiveness: clarity of message and ability to convey the core elements of the project;
- Coherence: consistency of the proposed logo with the themes of the project.

Art. 7 – Evaluation Committee

The committee will be composed of:

the coordinator of the INSULA laboratory: Martina Giuffrè;
co-coordinators: Michele Maccari; Osman Arrobbio;
other CUCI members: Nadia Monacelli; Bianca Restori; Alessio Pietrolucci; Filippo Arfini; Roberto Valentino.
The committee will assess proposals based on coherence with the objectives of the laboratory, originality, communicative effectiveness and usability.

Art. 8 – Intellectual Property and Usage Rights
In accordance with the provisions of the public institution University of Parma, the logo of the winning proposal will become the exclusive property of the University, which will acquire all publication, usage and reproduction rights, without the author being entitled to future financial claims.

The logo will become part of the assets of the University Centre for International Cooperation (CUCI), for non-profit purposes, and may be modified or adapted to institutional graphic standards.

The participant (or all members in the case of a group proposal) fully transfers all usage and exploitation rights to the University of Parma.

Art. 9 – Responsibilities and Declarations
By participating in the competition, applicants:

- declare the originality of the proposal and guarantee that it does not infringe third-party rights;
- fully accept the provisions of this call;
- release the University of Parma from any liability for inaccuracies in the data provided or for issues arising from delays, technical problems or force majeure.

Art. 10 – Personal Data Processing (Privacy)
Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and national legislation, the University of Parma, as Data Controller, informs participants that:

- personal data collected will be used exclusively for the purposes of this competition;
- providing data is necessary for participation;
- data will be processed by authorised personnel and will not be disclosed to third parties except as required by law.

Art. 10 – Acceptance of the Call
Participation in the competition implies full and unconditional acceptance of all provisions of this call.

Contacts
Email for submissions: insula.cuci@unipr.it

Coordinator: Martina Giuffrè – martina.giuffre@unipr.it

Co-coordinators: Michele Maccari – michele.maccari@unipr.it; Osman Arrobbio – osman.arrobbio@unipr.it

“A LOGO FOR INSULA” – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS ADDRESSED TO YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 18–30

INSULA – INTERDISCIPLINARY NETWORK FOR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF ISLANDS AND ARCHIPELAGOS

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