A bridge to the future – European policy for vocational education and training 2002-2010 National Policy Report – ITALY ReferNet Italy Policy Report 2010 Overall Supervision: Established by law in 1973, Isfol has been then Miss Isabella Pitoni, Isfol, (1999) formally recognized as national National ReferNet Representative ReferNet Italy research institute subject to the supervision of the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Report prepared by ReferNet Italy Policies. The current Statute, approved (2003) in accordance with Cedefop, by the Presidency of the Ministries Council, as initiator and template provider: strengthens Isfol traditional role in the field of training, social and labour policies in order to Miss Donatella Gobbi, Isfol researcher contribute to the growth of employment, the Miss Marina Cino Pagliarello, Isfol consultant improvement of human resources, social inclusion and local development. ∗∗∗ Acknowledgements for contributions : In such a framework, the Institute conducts and promotes activities of study, research, Isfol Researchers - ReferNet Italy Consortia experimentation, documentation, information and evaluation, consultancy and technical ReferNet Italy assistance. As regards the implementation of co-financed policies, Isfol supports the system Leading organisation: Isfol actions of the European Social Fund through Consortia Members: the definition of methodologies, tools and experimentations aimed at supporting the − Agenzia per lo sviluppo planning, the monitoring and the dissemination dell’autonomia scolastica (ex Indire) of the co-financed actions. Furthermore, the Institute is National Agency for the Lifelong − Baicr Sistema Cultura Learning Programme - Sectoral programme − Censis Leonardo da Vinci. − Cesos Over the last decade Isfol is being operating in − Ciofs-Fp − partnership with Cedefop and its networks. In Cnos particular, relevant commitment has been − Cnr - Biblioteca centrale “G. Marconi” formalised within the ReferNet, the network of − Confap reference and expertise in the field of VET in − Confapi Europe. ReferNet comprises a national − Confindustria consortium in each Member State made up of − Enaip organisations representing VET institutions at − Enfap national level. − Eurodesk − Each consortium is led by a national Fondazione Giulio Pastore coordinator responsible for constructing the − Ial Cisl consortium and ensuring the implementation of − Smile the networks' tasks. Isfol is currently the − Tecnostruttura leading organization and coordinator of the Italian ReferNet Consortium, made of institutions and organizations with common interests in developing VET and related issues. This report is one of a set of European country reports on VET policy development prepared within Cedefop’s ReferNet network. ReferNet is a European network of national networks providing information and analysis on national VET to Cedefop and disseminating information on European VET and Cedefop work to stakeholders in the EU Member States, Norway and Iceland. The report has been produced by ReferNet Italy as a contribution to Cedefop’s fourth policy report which reviews progress in VET towards the policy goals of the Copenhagen process. The opinions expressed in this national report are not necessarily those of Cedefop. The preparation of this report has been co-financed by the European Union. TABLE OF CONTENTS ∗ Please, see authors’ list for detail. 2 ReferNet Italy Policy Report 2010 THEME 1: SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHALLENGES FOR FUTURE VET POLICY DEVELOPMENT 1.1 Impact of globalisation on VET………………………………………………………….…………p. 5 1.2 Impact of technological progress on VET…………………………………………………………..p. 9 1.3 Impact of demographic change and international migration on VET………………………………p.13 1.4 Impact of greening of economy on VET……………………………………….. ... ……………… p.16 THEME 2: ECONOMIC CRISIS – VET POLICIES AS RECOVERY MEASURES 2.1 Initiatives for recovery………………………………………………………………… ……….…p. 21 THEME 3: IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE JOINT WORK ON EUROPEAN PRINCIPLES AND TOOLS 3.1 Impact of joint work on European principles and tools on national LLL policies and practices and VET developments....................................................................................................................................................p. 25 3.2 Promoting geographical mobility of learners/apprentices and teachers/trainers in VET…………p. 27 THEME 4: STRENGTHENING THE LINKS BETWEEN VET AND THE LABOUR MARKET 4.1 Identifying and anticipating skill needs.........................................................................................p. 32 4.2 Integrating skill needs of the labour market into VET provision...................................................p. 37 4.3 Involving labour market actors in VET .........................................................................................p. 39 4.4 Promoting workplace learning ............................................................................................. p. 46 THEME 5: ADDRESSING EQUITY, SOCIAL INCLUSION AND ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP 5.1 Addressing equity in VET .............................................................................................................p. 49 5.2 Support services for groups at risk ................................................................................................p. 57 5.3 Active citizenship ............................................................................................................... p. 63 THEME 6: QUALITY, EXCELLENCE & ATTRACTIVENESS OF VET 6.1 Improving the quality of VET .......................................................................................................p. 66 6.2 Promoting excellence in VET……………………………………………………………………..p. 72 6.3 Higher level qualifications in VET ...............................................................................................p. 75 6.4 Improving horizontal and vertical permeability of education and training systems ......................p. 78 6.5 Teachers and trainers…………………………………………………………….………………..p. 80 THEME 7: ENHANCING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION 7.1 Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship in VET.....................................................................p. 84 7.2 Improving quality of teaching .......................................................................................................p. 88 7.3 Innovation-friendly institutions .....................................................................................................p. 90 7.4 Encouraging partnership ...................................................................................................... p. 92 THEME 8: FINANCING VET 8.1 Improving efficiency, equity, levels of VET funding …………………………………………….p. 94 8.2 Use of Lifelong Learning Programme funds .................................................................................p. 98 8.3 Use of other EU funds .......................................................................................................…… p. 100 8.4 Improving VET governance ........................................................................................................p. 101 THEME 9: PROGRESS IN MODERNISING EUROPEAN VET SYSTEMS IN THE COPENHAGEN PROCESS AND PRIORITIES FOR FUTURE COOPERATION 9.1 Impact of European cooperation in VET on development of national VET policies ..................p. 102 9.2 Governance, cooperation and ownership of the different actors in the Copenhagen process at European level………………………………………………………………………………………….p. 105 9.3 External dimension of European cooperation in VET.................................................................p. 106 AUTHORS, BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES AND SOURCES .................................................. P. 110 3 ReferNet Italy Policy Report 2010 Preface The "Copenhagen process" was launched as the contribution of Vocational Education and Training (VET) to the challenges identified in the Lisbon-Agenda. In the Copenhagen Declaration, approved on 30 November 2002, the ministers responsible for VET in 31 European countries (EU Member States, candidate countries, EFTA-EEA countries), the European social partners and the European Commission agreed on enhanced European cooperation in VET. This Policy Report forms part of the Cedefop ReferNet 2010 work programme. It provides information on Italy’s progress in VET towards EU policy goals within the framework of the Copenhagen process and according to the policy priorities defined in the Maastricht Communiqué (2004) and the Helsinki (2006) and Bordeaux Communiqué (2008). It considers measures taken in the context of the Education and Training 2010 programme since the Copenhagen Declaration. The main section of the report is subdivided into the following nine policy areas identified by education ministers as priorities for national policy design in the VET sector: • Socio economic challenges for future VET policy development; • Economic crisis – VET policies as recovery measures; • Impact and Implications of the joint work on European principles and tools; • Strengthening the links between VET and the labour market; • Addressing equity, social inclusion and active citizenship; • Quality, excellence and attractiveness of VET; • Enhancing creativity and innovation; • Financing VET; • Progress in modernising European VET systems in the Copenhagen process and Priorities for future cooperation. The first chapter deals with main challenges (globalisation, demographic change and migration, technological change) that VET systems need to take