Reggio HUB is the talent attraction and retention initiative promoted by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. It aims to make the city an attractive destination for international professionals, students, researchers, and entrepreneurs by offering personalized support and connecting them with local opportunities. Through strong collaboration with companies, institutions, and the community, Reggio HUB helps talents build meaningful life and career paths in Reggio Emilia.

We spoke with the Reggio HUB team to learn more about the programme. Here is the interview!

1. What strategies or programmes are you implementing to attract and retain talent?

Reggio HUB is a local initiative promoted by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia aimed at attracting, welcoming, and supporting highly skilled international professionals and talents whether they're coming to work, study, conduct research, or start a business. 

Our main strategy is to act as a facilitator and connector, offering orientation, personalized support, and access to local opportunities. We focus on creating a welcoming ecosystem by collaborating with institutions, companies, universities, and third-sector actors.

A key component of our strategy is our official website, where we regularly publish job positions offered by our network of over 30 partner companies. The site serves as a central hub for discovering career opportunities, understanding the local context, and getting practical guidance on relocating to Reggio Emilia. 

A very important milestone for the project is the Call for talent, a dynamic hackathon designed to attract international talent to Reggio Emilia by engaging them in real innovation challenges proposed by local companies.

The 2024 edition was a great success, bringing together over 30 highly skilled participants who worked on challenges launched by two major local players - the event featured prize awards and, most importantly, offered direct interview opportunities. We are already working on the next edition, scheduled for November 2025, to further consolidate Reggio Emilia’s role as a vibrant hub for innovation, creativity, and international talent scouting.

2. Which kind of services do you offer to talents? 

Reggio HUB provides one-to-one orientation services tailored to the needs of international talents. Our key services include:

• Support with housing search, including contact with real estate agencies and temporary accommodation options.
• Guidance and support on bureaucratic and administrative procedures (residence permit, tax code, registration with the National Health Service, etc.).
• Information on public transport and mobility
• Orientation to the city's cultural life and free-time opportunities, including events, festivals, and integration activities.
• Connections to local networks, including professional communities, international groups, and social integration programs.

3. Do you offer support to the families of international professionals?

Yes, Reggio HUB offers support to the families, recognizing that the successful integration of international professionals often depends on the well-being and inclusion of their families.

One of our key strengths is the support we offer in accessing the local educational system, including the internationally renowned Reggio Emilia Approach, an innovative pedagogical philosophy born in our city and now adopted worldwide. This educational model emphasizes creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and the active participation of children and families in the learning process. Many international families are particularly drawn to Reggio Emilia because of this unique and high-quality early childhood education system. We offer:

• Orientation for school enrollment, from early childhood (0–6 years) through to secondary school, including English-language programs and bilingual pathways.
• Guidance on how the Italian school system works, with practical help navigating bureaucracy and documentation.
• Family integration support, including information on healthcare, recreation, parenting services, and community-building events.

Through this integrated and relational model, Reggio HUB ensures that families are not only welcomed, but truly empowered to settle and thrive in Reggio Emilia.

4. What are the main resources or tools you use?

Reggio HUB uses a combination of digital and human-centered tools to ensure accessible and up-to-date support for international talents. Our main resources include:

• Website: www.reggiohub.it
  Our bilingual (Italian-English) website is the primary point of reference for international professionals. It offers practical information on housing, healthcare, mobility, education, and how to settle in Reggio Emilia. It also includes a detailed FAQ section and updates on local initiatives.
• Email contact: info.reggiohub@comune.re.it 
  Through our dedicated helpdesk, we offer direct support and orientation to talents and their families.
• LinkedIn: Reggio HUB 
  A professional space where we share updates, events, job opportunities, and testimonials from international professionals.
• Instagram: @reggio_hub 
  A more informal channel where we promote the city's lifestyle, showcase services, and share stories from talents living in Reggio Emilia. The Instagram bio also includes a Linktree with quick access to all relevant resources.

All tools are designed to create a smooth landing experience, connect newcomers with the local ecosystem, and strengthen the international visibility of Reggio Emilia as a talent-friendly city.

5. How do you collaborate with local institutions to facilitate the matching of trainees and professionals?

Reggio HUB actively collaborates with a wide network of local stakeholders to connect international professionals with real job and training opportunities in Reggio Emilia.

We work with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) and its international relations office to support incoming researchers, students, and visiting faculty. Through this collaboration, we help talents navigate both academic and practical aspects of relocation, and we act as a bridge between the university and the local community.

We’ve established a growing network of over 30 partner companies  from key sectors such as mechatronics, agri-food, IT, education, and social innovation. These companies regularly publish their job openings through Reggio HUB’s communication channels, and we facilitate direct connections with international profiles interested in relocating.

Our partnership model is open and constantly evolving: we are actively working to expand this network, involving more companies who are committed to attracting and retaining global talent.

Reggio HUB serves as both a matchmaking platform and a local talent facilitator, aligning the needs of companies with the professional and personal expectations of international talents and their families.