1. Purpose of the Official Master Handbook

This Handbook governs the academic and operational organisation of the Executive Master in Civic Humanism, Territorial Leadership and Human-Centred Project Design.
It is the reference document for:

• candidates;
• admitted participants;
• faculty members;
• tutors;
• members of the Academic Directorate;
• specialists;
• members of assessment committees;
• officers of the Medici institutions involved;
• any academic and institutional partners.

The Handbook defines:

• the nature and purposes of the Master;
• the structure of the training activities;
• admission procedures;
• attendance rules;
• participant responsibilities;
• assessment criteria;
• rules governing the use of artificial intelligence;
• principles of academic integrity;
• confidentiality rules;
• organisation of tutoring;
• characteristics of the final project;
• eligibility procedures and award of the Diploma.

Every participant, faculty member and tutor is required to know and comply with the provisions of this document.

2. Official designation

The official designation of the programme is:
Executive Master in Civic Humanism, Territorial Leadership and Human-Centred Project Design
The reference Italian translation is:
Master esecutivo internazionale in Umanesimo Civile, leadership territoriale e progettazione umanistica
In international official documents, the English designation should be used as the primary designation.

3. Academic nature

The Master is an international advanced-education programme of the Medici Humanistic Academy.
It is primarily intended for people already established in entrepreneurial, professional, institutional, academic, cultural, social, diplomatic or international life.
The designation “Master” describes the advanced and executive nature of the internal Academy programme.
Unless a specific agreement is concluded with a university or another legally accredited institution, the programme:

• is not a legally recognised university master’s degree;
• does not award official university credits;
• does not confer professional licences or qualifications;
• does not replace qualifications required by national legislation;
• does not authorise participants to perform activities legally reserved to registered or licensed professionals.

Any future university accreditation must be governed by a specific agreement.

4. Educational vision

The Master is based on the principle that the education of Ambassadors must not be limited to the transmission of theoretical knowledge.
It must unite:

• humanistic culture;
• conscience;
• responsibility;
• professional experience;
• relational ability;
• verifiable research;
• understanding of the territory;
• economic assessment;
• interdisciplinary coordination;
• project-design capability.

The participant is not regarded as a student without experience, but as a person who brings to the programme knowledge, relationships, intuitions, competences, decision-making ability, experience of responsibility, and professional and human resources.
The task of the Master is to orient these qualities towards service to the District and the community.

5. Methodological principle

The general methodological principle is:
Project-oriented dialogue with universal knowledge, mediated by artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is used as a continuing interlocutor to:

• question knowledge;
• organise research;
• compare hypotheses;
• identify gaps;
• develop documents;
• analyse alternatives;
• accompany project design.

The human being always retains:

• vision;
• direction;
• judgement;
• discernment;
• responsibility;
• the final decision.

Artificial intelligence cannot replace:

• sources;
• verification;
• specialists;
• experience;
• listening to the territory;
• personal conscience;
• institutional responsibility.

6. Institutional purpose

The Master prepares the participant to exercise responsibly functions of representation, territorial reconnaissance, liaison and project design within the Districts of the Continuing Renaissance, with particular application to the offices of Medici Ambassador and Medici Vicar and, more generally, to responsibilities exercised within the Continuing Renaissance network.
Training does not automatically produce:

• appointment as Ambassador;
• the grant of a title;
• assignment of a District;
• assumption of an office;
• the conferral of powers of representation.

Such decisions remain reserved to the competent Medici authorities.
Successful completion of the first 96-hour phase may constitute, in the cases provided for by the General Regulations, one of the pathways for acquiring the eligibility requirement necessary to be considered for the offices of Medici Ambassador or Medici Vicar. Completion of the full 180 hours, together with all other academic requirements, makes it possible to obtain the Executive Diploma. Neither eligibility nor the Diploma replaces the moral, reputational, institutional, relational, territorial and personal assessment reserved to the competent authorities.

6-bis. Relationship with short courses and continuing education

Alongside the Master, the Academy offers short training programmes for the Missions, Districts and Medici Humanistic Villages. These courses address immediate operational needs and can provide a common language, method and criteria to people exercising different responsibilities.
The short courses, governed by the Short Courses Catalogue of the Medici Humanistic Academy and any implementing programmes, do not replace the Master, do not automatically reduce the 180 hours and do not, by themselves, constitute successful completion of the first 96-hour phase.
After completion of the Master, the Academy may also organise Higher and Continuing Humanistic Education of a modular nature, without an additional compulsory total number of hours, through seminars, conferences, study visits, laboratories, updates and advanced modules.

7. Duration

The Master comprises:

• 180 total hours;
• 45 training sessions;
• 4 hours per session, ordinarily on Saturdays;
• an indicative duration of eleven or twelve months;
• possible breaks for holidays, institutional requirements or scheduled suspension periods.

The official calendar is approved by the Academic Directorate before the start of each edition.

8. Delivery format

The Master is delivered predominantly online through Zoom or another platform approved by the Academy.
The indicative distribution of activities is:

• 136 hours of live online lessons and laboratories — 34 Saturdays;
• 24 hours of in-person or hybrid meetings — 6 Saturdays;
• 20 hours of guided territorial activities — 5 Saturdays;
• total: 180 hours — 45 Saturdays.

The Academic Directorate may modify the distribution among online, hybrid and territorial activities without changing the total of 180 hours.

9. Language

The official language of the Master is English.
The following are normally conducted in English:

• lessons;
• laboratories;
• discussions;
• presentations;
• assessments;
• written assignments;
• academic interviews;
• the final project.

Participants must possess knowledge of English at least equivalent to an advanced B2 level.
C1 level is recommended in order to follow lessons comfortably, participate in discussions and write the final project.
The Directorate may verify language competence through an interview, oral presentation, short written assignment, language certificate or documented declaration of international professional experience.

10. Structure of the Saturday session

Each session has a total duration of four hours.
The ordinary structure includes:

Presentation of theoretical and methodological principles.

Analysis of a concrete case.

Individual or group exercise.

Application of the content to the candidate’s District.

The instructor may modify this structure according to the characteristics of the subject.
Breaks form part of the overall organisation of the session and must be arranged so as to preserve participants’ attention.

12. First phase — 96 hours: methodological and operational training

The first 24 training sessions correspond to:

• 96 hours;
• approximately six months of education;
• the first methodological and operational phase of the Master.

At the end of the first 96 hours, the participant may undertake the interim assessment provided for in this Handbook.
For Nobles of Florence and Medici Honorary Consuls aspiring to the offices of Medici Ambassador or Medici Vicar, successful completion of the first phase constitutes one of the pathways for acquiring the eligibility requirement established by the General Regulations. Such eligibility makes it possible to be considered for appointment, but does not automatically confer an office, assign a District or grant powers of representation. For all other participants, successful completion of the first phase is solely an intermediate academic achievement.

13. Second phase — 84 hours: consolidation, territorial application and project

The subsequent 21 training sessions correspond to:

• 84 hours;
• theoretical deepening;
• territorial observation;
• project design;
• preparation of the Action Plan;
• final assessment.

A participant who may already have been appointed, including by virtue of another eligibility pathway provided for by the Regulations, may continue the Master while beginning to apply its method in the District under guidance. The remaining 84 hours thus connect education with real problems, relationships and responsibilities.

14. Participants

The Master is open to all, subject to academic admission in accordance with the requirements of this Handbook. It is primarily intended for:

• candidate Ambassadors;
• candidate Vicars;
• Ambassadors already appointed;
• Vicars already appointed;
• Medici Honorary Consuls;
• entrepreneurs;
• executives;
• professionals;
• institutional representatives;
• cultural operators;
• officers of foundations or organisations;
• persons active in international relations;
• members of Medici institutions;
• younger candidates possessing exceptional experience and qualities.

15. General requirements

The candidate must demonstrate:

• adequate personal maturity;
• good reputation;
• professional or institutional experience;
• ability to assume responsibility;
• willingness to serve;
• interest in the territorial dimension;
• ability to work with people from different backgrounds;
• sufficient knowledge of English;
• willingness to complete the programme.

A university degree is not necessarily required when the candidate’s professional experience and quality are equivalent or superior.

16. Admission documentation

The application normally includes:

• curriculum vitae;
• motivation letter;
• professional profile;
• description of the principal experiences of responsibility;
• indication of any service, philanthropic or community activities;
• declaration concerning knowledge of English;
• possible indication of a District of interest;
• declaration of possible conflicts of interest;
• authorisation for the processing of data;
• any letters of reference.

17. Admission interview

The interview assesses:

• motivation;
• experience;
• communication ability;
• willingness to serve;
• preliminary understanding of the Mission;
• maturity;
• knowledge of English;
• compatibility with the programme;
• expectations;
• time availability.

Admission may be full, conditional, subject to language improvement, subject to a preparatory module, deferred or denied.

18. Competence assessment

After admission, a Personal Learning and Service Profile is prepared.
The document identifies:

• competences already possessed;
• relevant experience;
• entrepreneurial abilities;
• relational abilities;
• territorial knowledge;
• areas requiring further study;
• possible contributions by the candidate;
• individual learning objectives.

The competence assessment does not automatically exempt the participant from attendance, but allows exercises, tutoring, case studies, advanced study and the final project to be adapted.

19. Attendance requirement

To be admitted to the final assessment, the participant must attend at least 80% of the 180 hours.
The ordinary maximum absence is therefore 36 hours.
To be admitted to the interim assessment at the end of the first 96 hours, the participant must have attended at least 80% of the hours in the first phase and completed all activities that the Academic Directorate has designated as compulsory for successful completion of that phase.
Simply connecting to the platform does not automatically constitute participation.
The candidate must be present, follow the lesson, intervene when requested, participate in laboratories and complete the activities.

20. Punctuality

The participant must connect at least ten minutes before the start of the lesson.
Repeated lateness or early departure may result in reduction of recognised hours, a requirement to make up the activity, a warning from the tutor or referral to the Academic Directorate.

21. Absences

Absence must be communicated to the tutor or Academic Secretariat as soon as possible.
Reasons may include unavoidable professional commitments, travel, health problems, family responsibilities, institutional commitments or exceptional technical impediments.
Absence does not automatically exempt the participant from the activity carried out.

22. Make-up activities

Theoretical lessons may be made up through viewing the recording, reading handouts, a short report, a meeting with the tutor or a substitute exercise.
The following cannot be made up merely by watching the recording:

• simulations;
• interactive laboratories;
• presentations;
• assessments;
• territorial activities;
• individual interviews;
• responsibility discussions.

The Directorate may require a substitute session.

23. Online participation

During online lessons, the participant must:

• use their own first and last name;
• keep the camera on, except where an impediment has been authorised;
• use an appropriate environment;
• reduce interference;
• mute the microphone when not speaking;
• respect speaking turns;
• not independently record the session;
• not allow access to unauthorised persons;
• not share the connection link.

24. Technical requirements

The participant is responsible for having an adequate computer or device, stable connection, camera, microphone, headphones, updated software, access to the registered email address and the tools required to open course materials.
Occasional technical problems will be assessed reasonably. Repeated technical problems must be resolved by the participant.

25. Recordings

Lessons may be recorded by the Academy.
Recordings are intended exclusively for make-up, individual study, academic control, internal archive and faculty development.
Participation in the Master entails the possibility that the participant’s voice and image may be recorded.
External use of recordings requires specific authorisation.
The participant may not download recordings without permission, republish them, share them, extract portions, use them commercially or disseminate them on social media.

26. General conduct

The participant must behave with respect, dignity, correctness, punctuality, confidentiality, loyalty, openness to dialogue and responsibility.
The following are incompatible with the Master:

• discrimination;
• harassment;
• verbal aggression;
• threats;
• offensive use of titles;
• improper pressure;
• conduct damaging the reputation of others;
• unauthorised commercial use of academic relationships.

27. Freedom of discussion

The Master encourages discussion, criticism, reasoned dissent, plurality of interpretations and revision of hypotheses.
Dissent must be expressed respectfully, through arguments, by distinguishing facts from opinions, without personal attacks and without attributing unproven intentions.

28. Institutional responsibility

The participant may not present as official:

• an unapproved project;
• a personal position;
• a preliminary negotiation;
• a proposal still under study;
• a decision not adopted by the competent authorities.

In communications, the participant must clearly distinguish among academic activity, project hypothesis, personal proposal, institutional mandate and official decision.

29. Commercial relationships

The Master must not be used as a space for personal commercial promotion.
Any economic relationships among participants must be declared, remain separate from academic assessment, not influence faculty members or tutors, not be presented as approved by the Academy and comply with conflict-of-interest rules.

30. General principle

Every assignment must faithfully represent the participant’s own work, judgement and responsibility.
Academic integrity requires truthfulness, transparency, correct attribution, verification, distinction between the participant’s contributions and external contributions, and disclosure of the use of artificial intelligence.

31. Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes:

• copying texts without attribution;
• presenting other people’s ideas as one’s own;
• using work produced by third parties;
• translating another person’s text without citation;
• reusing previously submitted material without disclosure;
• presenting non-existent sources;
• altering quotations;
• simulating activities that were not performed.

32. Citations

Sources must be cited according to the style adopted by the Academy.
The recommended style is the Chicago Manual of Style, in either author-date or notes-bibliography form as defined by the instructor.
Every assignment must distinguish primary sources, secondary sources, data, interviews, institutional materials, contributions from artificial intelligence and personal assessments.

33. Data and evidence

It is prohibited to invent data, alter results, attribute statements that were never made, simulate interviews, falsify documents, present site visits that were never carried out or conceal relevant information.
Unintentional errors must be corrected as soon as they are identified.

34. Consequences of violations

Violations may result in a warning, requirement for revision, cancellation of the assignment, repetition of the assessment, suspension, exclusion, refusal to award the Diploma or referral to the competent institutional authorities.
Any measure must be proportionate to the seriousness of the violation.

35. Permitted use

The participant may use artificial intelligence to explore a topic, formulate questions, organise a research plan, summarise notes, compare alternatives, identify possible sources, improve linguistic form, prepare outlines, simulate objections, develop preliminary versions and organise the project.

36. Prohibited use

It is not permitted to:

• present automatically generated text as entirely personal work;
• use answers without verifying them;
• invent sources;
• entrust the final decision to the machine;
• enter confidential data without authorisation;
• use unapproved systems for sensitive documents;
• replace listening to the community with a simulation;
• present artificial interviews as real;
• use artificial intelligence to evade personal assessment.

37. Disclosure of use

Every significant assignment must contain a brief statement specifying the tools used, purpose, assisted parts, checks carried out and the candidate’s final responsibility.
Suggested wording:
“Artificial intelligence tools were used to support the organisation of the research, the comparison of alternatives and the linguistic revision of the document. All factual statements, sources and conclusions were independently reviewed and remain the responsibility of the author.”

38. Verification

The participant is responsible for verifying names, dates, quotations, rules, data, statistics, titles, sources, bibliographic references, attributions and conclusions.
An answer produced by artificial intelligence does not constitute a source.

39. Protection of information

Unless expressly authorised, the following must not be entered into artificial-intelligence systems:

• sensitive personal data;
• confidential contracts;
• negotiation strategies;
• internal documents;
• passwords;
• banking information;
• trade secrets;
• non-public investor data;
• private communications;
• documents subject to confidentiality restrictions.

40. Hierarchy of evidence

The candidate must evaluate sources according to authenticity, provenance, author competence, date, context, relevance, independence, verifiability and convergence with other evidence.

41. Degrees of certainty

Assignments must distinguish among documented fact, highly probable fact, interpretation, hypothesis, possibility, opinion and open question.
Using excessively certain language when the evidence is incomplete is a methodological weakness.

42. Specialists

The candidate must recognise when the contribution of historians, archivists, lawyers, accountants, economists, engineers, architects, planners, environmental experts, sociologists, communication professionals or other specialists is necessary.
The Master does not authorise the participant to replace such professionals.

43. Purpose

Territorial activities verify that the participant can connect knowledge, observation, listening, data, sources, relationships and project design.

44. Minimum activities

The participant must normally carry out:

• a general site visit in the District;
• a visit to an archive, museum or cultural institution;
• a meeting with administrators or civic officers;
• a meeting with entrepreneurs or economic representatives;
• a meeting with associations or local communities;
• a reconnaissance of assets or resources that may potentially be activated.

For candidates resident abroad, some activities may be conducted online, but a significant part of the observation must take place directly or through verified territorial collaborators.

45. Interviews

Before each interview, the participant must clarify their identity, the academic purpose, any recording, the intended use of information, the level of confidentiality and the possibility of quotation.
Non-public statements may not be disseminated without consent.

46. Safety

The participant is responsible for their own safety during site visits, visits, travel and meetings.
They must not enter private property without authorisation, construction sites, dangerous areas, technical installations, unstable buildings or places subject to restrictions.

47. Role of the tutor

The tutor accompanies the candidate throughout the programme.
The tutor’s duties include monitoring attendance, clarifying assignments, methodological guidance, connecting the modules, monitoring progress, assisting with the organisation of sources, identifying specialists, preparing assessments and accompanying the Action Plan.

48. Limits of the tutor

The tutor may not write the candidate’s assignments, make decisions in the candidate’s place, certify unverified data, replace professional advisers, improperly influence the committee or use information received for personal advantage.

49. Meetings

Every participant is entitled to periodic meetings.
The indicative frequency is:

• one initial meeting;
• at least one meeting per module;
• additional meetings during the final project;
• one preparatory meeting for the interim assessment;
• one preparatory meeting for the final assessment.

50. Principles

Assessment must be transparent, consistent, documented, proportionate, oriented to the quality of the method and respectful of the participant’s experience.
The assessment does not concern only the quantity of knowledge acquired. Particular attention is given to the ability to formulate questions, verify sources, exercise discernment, listen, synthesise, design projects, assume responsibility and recognise limits.

51. Components of assessment

The indicative weighting is:

• participation in laboratories and simulations — 10%;
• Personal Learning and Service Profile — 5%;
• AI and Information Protection Protocol — 10%;
• Executive Evidence Brief — 10%;
• Preliminary District Profile — 15%;
• Strategic Relationship Map — 10%;
• Comparative Opportunity Assessment — 15%;
• Ambassador’s District Action Plan or approved equivalent final project — 20%;
• final colloquium — 5%.

Total: 100%.

52. Assessment scale

The indicative internal scale is:

• 90–100: Outstanding;
• 80–89: Excellent;
• 70–79: Very Good;
• 60–69: Satisfactory;
• below 60: Not Yet Satisfactory.

Successful completion of the Master requires at least 60/100 in the overall assessment, successful completion of the Action Plan, successful completion of the final colloquium, compliance with the attendance requirement and absence of serious violations.

53. Formative assessment

During the programme, instructors may provide observations, requests for further study, suggestions, corrections, recommendations and requests for revision.
Revision is not regarded as failure, but as part of the method.

54. Interim assessment and successful completion of the first phase

At the end of the first 96 hours, the participant may undertake the interim assessment.
It includes:

• presentation of the Mission;
• discussion of an ethical case;
• demonstration of responsible use of artificial intelligence;
• examination of sources;
• preliminary presentation of the District;
• institutional simulation.

Possible outcomes are:

• first phase passed;
• first phase passed with recommendations;
• first phase passed with enhanced tutoring;
• additional training required;
• first phase not passed.

Outcomes declaring that the first phase has been passed certify academic completion of the first 96 hours under this Handbook. For Nobles of Florence and Medici Honorary Consuls aspiring to the offices of Ambassador or Vicar, such completion constitutes one of the pathways for acquiring the eligibility provided for by the General Regulations.
Successful completion of the first phase is not equivalent to appointment, does not assign a District and does not automatically confer any office. Any appointment remains reserved to the competent Medici authorities. The participant must in any event continue the subsequent 84 hours in order to complete the Master and obtain the Diploma.

55. Repetition of assessments

An insufficient assessment may be repeated in accordance with the arrangements established by the Directorate.
Repetition may require revision of the assignment, a new presentation, additional activity, a colloquium or further verification of sources.

56. Nature of the project

The Action Plan is the principal final assessment.
It is not a purely theoretical thesis.
It is a strategic and operational document intended to demonstrate the candidate’s ability to understand the District, listen to stakeholders, use sources, compare alternatives, build relationships, assess feasibility and assume responsibility.
For participants who are not candidates for the office of Ambassador or who have not been assigned a District, the Academic Directorate may authorise a District Action Plan or another equivalent territorial project. The project must comply with the same methodological, research, verification, feasibility and responsibility standards and does not, merely by being prepared, imply any appointment or territorial assignment.

57. Minimum structure

The Plan must include:

• executive summary;
• identity of the District;
• strategic question;
• historical and territorial framework;
• sources used;
• stakeholder map;
• tangible and intangible resources;
• critical issues;
• territorial vocation;
• opportunities considered;
• comparison of alternatives;
• priority initiative;
• objectives;
• beneficiaries;
• governance;
• partners;
• specialists required;
• cultural feasibility;
• preliminary legal feasibility;
• preliminary economic and financial feasibility;
• preliminary energy and environmental feasibility;
• social impact;
• timeline;
• indicative budget;
• risks;
• indicators;
• open questions;
• statement of responsibility.

58. Length

The indicative length is between 12,000 and 20,000 words, or an equivalent scale approved by the tutor when the project makes substantial use of maps, data, sheets, charts, annexes or technical documents.
Quality does not depend on length.

59. Preliminary nature of assessments

Legal, economic, technical and environmental assessments contained in the Plan are preliminary.
The candidate must clearly indicate what has been verified, what requires professional advice, what remains uncertain, what cannot be decided without authorisations and what depends on external partners.

60. Supervision

The Plan is followed by the tutor, project-design instructor, any relevant specialist and an institutional contact.
Supervision does not transfer the author’s responsibility to the supervisors.

61. Committee

The committee may include the Academic Director, faculty members, representatives of Medici institutions, specialists, a qualified representative of the territory and an experienced entrepreneur or executive.
Members must declare any conflicts of interest.

62. Presentation

The candidate presents the Plan in English.
The indicative duration is 20 minutes of presentation, 30 minutes of questions and 10 minutes of responsibility colloquium.
The Directorate may modify these times.

63. Criteria

The committee assesses:

• significance of the question;
• quality of sources;
• ability to verify;
• understanding of the territory;
• listening to the community;
• interdisciplinary synthesis;
• comparison of alternatives;
• feasibility;
• recognition of limits;
• risk management;
• clarity;
• personal responsibility.

64. Outcomes

The committee may approve, approve with recommendations, approve subject to corrections, require substantial revision or not approve.

65. Responsibilities of faculty members

Faculty members must prepare materials, follow the programme, teach in adequate English, distinguish facts from opinions, disclose conflicts of interest, assess impartially, protect information, avoid improper commercial promotion, respect participants’ dignity and coordinate with the Academic Directorate.

66. General profile

A faculty member must possess documented competence, experience, teaching ability, knowledge of English, interdisciplinary openness, an appropriate reputation and understanding of the Mission.

67. Professional faculty

The Master may engage academics, entrepreneurs, executives, diplomats, lawyers, economists, engineers, planners, artificial-intelligence experts, professionals and cultural operators.
Practical experience is considered an essential part of the programme.

68. Confidential information

When not public, the following are considered confidential: information on candidates, projects, negotiations, partners, investors, budgets, institutional documents, strategies, internal communications, assessments, recordings and participant materials.

69. Duty of confidentiality

The participant must use information only for the Master, not disclose it, store it securely, respect authorisations and delete copies when requested.
The obligation may continue after completion of the programme.

70. Ownership of assignments

Intellectual property in assignments normally remains with the participant.
The participant grants the Academy a non-exclusive right to retain them, assess them, use them for internal teaching purposes and present them to the competent institutional bodies.
External publication requires a specific agreement.

71. Academy materials

The following may not be reproduced or distributed without authorisation: manuals, handouts, recordings, templates, logos, trademarks, presentations, confidential documents and faculty materials.

72. Disclosure

Participants, faculty members, tutors and committee members must disclose economic, professional, family, corporate, political, institutional and territorial interests.
The existence of an interest does not automatically result in exclusion, but it must be made transparent.

73. Recusal

A person must recuse themselves from an assessment where they have a direct interest, are involved in the project, have significant economic relationships with the candidate, could receive an advantage or are in a situation capable of compromising impartiality.

74. Official communications

Communications are sent through institutional email, the teaching platform, the Secretariat and the tutor.
The participant is responsible for regularly checking communications.

75. Academic complaints

A participant may submit a reasoned complaint concerning assessment, attendance, conduct, conflict of interest, application of the rules or teaching problems.
The complaint must be submitted in writing within the deadline established by the Directorate.

76. Review

Review does not replace academic judgement, but verifies procedural correctness, application of the criteria, absence of material errors, impartiality and compliance with the rules.

77. Discipline

Where conduct is incompatible with the Master, the Directorate may issue an informal warning, written warning, requirements, suspension or exclusion.
The person concerned must be informed of the reasons and given an opportunity to submit observations.

78. Requirements

To obtain the Diploma, the participant must:

• complete at least 80% of the hours;
• make up required activities;
• pass the assessments;
• present the Ambassador’s District Action Plan or an approved equivalent final project;
• pass the final colloquium;
• comply with academic integrity;
• fulfil administrative obligations.

79. Diploma designation

The internal qualification awarded is:
Executive Diploma in Civic Humanism, Territorial Leadership and Human-Centred Project Design
The document may indicate the edition, year, number of hours, language, final assessment, any District and the signatures of the academic authorities.

80. Non-completion

A participant who does not complete the Master may, where provided, receive a certificate of participation, certification of successful completion of the first 96-hour phase when actually achieved, a certificate of modules passed or a declaration of hours attended.
These documents are not equivalent to the Diploma. Certification of successful completion of the first phase certifies only the intermediate academic result and, in the cases provided for by the General Regulations, may contribute as a specific institutional eligibility pathway without automatically conferring appointments or offices.

81. Evaluation of the Master

At the end of each module, participants may evaluate teaching quality, relevance, clarity, usefulness, balance between theory and practice, quality of materials and effectiveness of the online format.

82. Annual review

Each year the Academic Directorate reviews results, attendance, assessments, projects, faculty observations, participant feedback, District needs, technological developments and any regulatory updates.
The programme may be updated without altering its fundamental principles.

83. Knowledge and responsibility

The Master does not regard knowledge as the mere accumulation of information.
Knowledge must become understanding, discernment, decision, responsibility and service.

84. Experience and education

The experience of participating entrepreneurs, executives and professionals is a fundamental resource.
The Master does not intend to replace it. It intends to organise it, broaden it, compare it, integrate it and orient it towards the good of the District.

85. Method and doctrine

The final assessment is not the repetition of a doctrine.
The candidate must demonstrate the ability to formulate a meaningful question, build verifiable research, use artificial intelligence critically, integrate disciplines, listen to the territory, compare alternatives, recognise limits and assume responsibility for the proposal.

85-bis. Higher and Continuing Humanistic Education

Award of the Executive Diploma does not exhaust education. The Academy may accompany Ambassadors, Vicars and other qualified participants over time through Higher and Continuing Humanistic Education, subsequent to the Master, modular and not subject to a second compulsory 180-hour requirement.
It may include update seminars, thematic modules, conferences, study visits in the Districts, meetings in archives, museums, villas, businesses and workshops, laboratories on real cases, sessions reviewing territorial Plans and exchanges among people exercising responsibility within the Continuing Renaissance network.
Higher and Continuing Humanistic Education is distinct both from the Master and from operational short courses: the Master is the structured 180-hour academic pathway; short courses address immediate operational needs; continuing education instead supports updating, cultural maturation and the sharing of experience over time.

86. Final formula

The education of an Ambassador arises from the encounter among humanistic conscience, professional experience, knowledge, relational ability, research rigour, listening to the community, project design, generosity and service.
An Ambassador should not merely be a person capable of representing an institution.
The Ambassador should become a person capable of connecting culture, economy, institutions and community, progressively transforming personal experience and resources into responsibility assumed in service to the territory.

INSTITUTIONAL APPROVAL

This Official Master Handbook enters into force following approval by the competent bodies of the Medici Humanistic Academy.
Academic Director:
President of the Academy:
Competent institutional authority:
Approval date:
Resolution number: