After outlining contextual features characterising the current state of tertiary sector ESP in Italy, this paper uses a case study methodology to exemplify how it privileges the achievement of domain-specific academic literacy. The local context has seen a steady rise in students attending higher education, a major reform to implement the Bologna Process, and prioritises the European perspective, with its emphasis on transnational employment possibilities and academic exchanges. Drawing on personal experience of teaching ESP in the Political Science Faculty of the University of Turin, the paper presents examples of what can be considered good practice, enabling students to understand how and why language is used in specific discourse communities and then to apply their understanding proactively.