The new legislative reform of the Higher technical Institutes (ITS academies) was approved by the Chamber of Deputies, with the third and final reading of the text already approved in the Senate last May.

The reform grasps and exploits an important opportunity to relaunch technical skills in the country with one goal above all: to strengthen the ITS system (until now governed by the Prime Minister’s Decree of 25 January 2008), giving a new outlook and impetus to its entire structure, as well as accelerating the strengthening of the technological areas, through subsequent implementation decrees.

The extension and enrichment of the training paths will focus in particular on two cornerstones of the national plan for recovery and resilience, that is, digital and ecological transition; and infrastructures for sustainable mobility. The strategic framework is made up of 1,5 billion euros allocated thanks to the national plan for recovery resilience. The aim is to add a key factor for the innovation of the Italian system: the goas is to double the number of the students enrolled in the ITS system within 2026, providing the country with highly specialized technicians to be used in the sectors most affected by innovation processes.

The main breakthroughs introduce by the reform:
1) Firstly, a new name is given to the institutions subject to the reform: these are no more called higher technical institutes but ITS Academies

2) The ITS paths will be organized into two levels: one at EQF level 5 with a two-year duration; and other at EQF level 6, of a three-year duration

3) to assure an even more direct transition from training to work, the internships, which will be also possible to carry out abroad, will be compulsory for at least 35% of the total training hours.

4) with the aim of strengthening the synergy with companies, charitable donations to ITS Academies will be encouraged through a tax credit of 30% of the donation (60% in the areas where unemployment level exceeds the national average)

5) to give new impetus to the governance, the president of the ITS Foundations will be a company representative

6) moreover an ad hoc fund destined to finance training paths will be established according to a three-year planification

7) the right to study will be promoted through study grants for students

8) at least 60% of the teaching is carried out by teachers coming from the world of work

9) a key goal is strengthening the link between ITS Academies, universities, and Higher Education Institutions for Fine Arts, Music and Dance

10) new rules for the accreditation of the ITS Academies are defined as the requirements to access public funding (including Withdrawal of accreditation in case of negative outcomes of the monitoring and evaluation activities)

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Higher technical Institutes