01/07/2026 17:20 - 19:30

HALL: Parenzo - A20

Contact: Díaz-Dorronsoro J.M.

Chair: Díaz-Dorronsoro J.M.

This panel presents key findings from an international survey conducted by the research group Footprints: Young People. Expectations, Ideals and Beliefs, coordinated by the Pontifical University of Santa Croce (Rome). The study involved more than 9,000 young people from nine countries across four continents: the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and the Philippines. Researchers from Albany Estate University, Universidad Panamericana, St Mary's University, Universidad de Navarra, Universidad Católica de Argentina, Pontificia Università Salesiana, CLE-Unicamp (Center for Logic, Epistemology and the History of Science), and the University of Asia and the Pacific collaborated in the project.


The survey explores young people's relationship with work, focusing on its social and civic dimensions, their preparation for the labor market through education, and the role played by religiosity, personal convictions, and values in shaping professional choices. Particular attention is given to young people's lived experiences, expectations for the future, and the everyday decisions that influence both their current lives and their projected career paths.


By combining a broad international perspective with sensitivity to cultural and social contexts, the research seeks to understand how young people make sense of work not only as economic activity, but also as a meaningful dimension of personal identity and social contribution. The panel will present the global results of the study, followed by focused analyses of the European countries involved, specifically the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain, highlighting convergences, contrasts, and emerging trends within the European context.