05 - Italy - Types of institution
Non-university tertiary education
Institutes that provide higher level arts and music education ( Afam) are the following:
Academies of Fine Arts (Accademia di belle arti): higher institutes of applied arts, which main
purpose is preparing students for the practice of the arts (painting, sculpture, decorating and
scenery).There are 20 State and 24 legally recognised Academies of Fine Arts .
Higher institutes for Artistic Industries (Istituti superiori per le industrie artistiche, ISIA): they are
state institutes offering a specific training in the design field (graphic design). There are 4 Higher
institutes for Artistic Industries in Italy: in Faenza (specialised in ceramic design); in Rome and
Florence (specialised in industrial design); in Urbino (specialised in graphic design).
National Academy of Drama 'Silvio D’Amico' (Accademia nazionale di arte drammatica): its seat
is in Rome and it offers training courses for actors and directors to Italian and foreign citizens
between 18 and 25 years of age.
Conservatoires (Conservatori di musica) : higher institutes of applied arts aimed at the teaching
of music. There are 57 Conservatoires and 21 officially recognised music institutes.
National Dance Academy (Accademia nazionale di danza): higher institute of applied arts. Its
main purpose is to train dancers, soloists, choreographers. It is located in Rome.
Here below, a list of non-university higher education institutions. These institutions will not be dealt with
in this document, as they do not issue certifications equivalent to lauree:
National School of Cinema (Scuola nazionale di cinema), with its seat in Rome: it offers threeyear
courses providing a specific training in one of the following sectors: Production, Acting, Direction, Script, Furnishing and Costume, Photography, Cutting and Editing, Sound Technique.
Each course can accept 6 students, except from the Acting course which can accept 16 students
(8 females and 8 males); Central Institute for Restoration (Istituto centrale del restauro) with its seat in Rome: it provides
four-year courses in the following teaching areas: murals, paintings on canvas, fabrics, leather,
paper and polychrome wood-carvings; metals, ceramics, glass, enamels, goldsmithery, ivory,
bone, amber and excavation objects; mosaics, natural and artificial stone-materials, stuccoes;
fossil manufactures. The number of available places is established annually in the admission
announcement; attendance is compulsory; School of Restoration of the Mosaic (Scuola di retauro del mosaico) is managed by the
Environment and Architectural Goods Service of Ravenna in collaboration with the Central
Institute for Restoration of Rome; it offers four-year courses providing restoration teaching in the
following areas: wall-mosaics, floor-mosaics, natural and artificial stone-materials, plasters,
stuccoes. The number of available places is of 9 units every year, of which six for Italian citizens
and 3 for foreigners; attendance is compulsory; the School of the Gemstone Factory (Scuola dell'Opificio delle pietre dure) has its seat in
Florence. Its four-year courses are structured in a triennium destined to fundamental teachings
and one year of specialisation. The number of available places is set annually within
announcement of the competitive exam according to the Institute’s availability; the Schools for the archive systems, palaeography and diplomatic (Scuola di archivistica,
paleografia e diplomatica), are instituted within some State Archives and cannot exceed the
number of 17 schools all over Italy. Courses last two years, the number of available places
depends on the various seats; admission requires getting through a Latin language test;
Military academies ( Accademie militari): Air Academy of Pozzuoli (Accademia Aeronautica di
Pozzuoli), Revenue Guard Academy (Accademia della Guardia di Finanza), Military Naval
Academy of Livorno (Accademia militare navale di Livorno), Military Academy of the army of
Modena (Accademia militare dell’esercito di Modena). They are all destined to those who want to
start a military career or to prolong the national service as cadet officer or lieutenant. Admission
is based on a competitive exam announced by the relevant Ministries and psycho-physical
aptitude tests. Starting from year 2000 also women can enrol in military academies. The courses
duration last 2 (cadet officer) or 5 years (lieutenant). All military academies allow following a
degree course in various sectors.
Higher Institutes of Religious Sciences (Istituti superiori di scienze religiose): they are essential
for catholic religion teaching, which can be carried out also by lay teachers, in every type of
Italian schools at all educational levels. Admission is free and the duration of courses vary
according to which study title the student wants to obtain (3 years for a diploma in Religious
sciences and 4 years for Faculty of arts for intending teachers in Religious sciences).
Central Institute for the Pathology of Books 'Alfonso Gallo' (Istituto centrale per la patologia del
libro): it is a body of the Ministry of cultural goods and activities, with its seat in Rome; it deals
with research aimed at the safeguard and restoration of books. It organises short stages for
professionals offering also a specialised training course;
Foundation for the Preservation and Restoration of Books: it has its seat in Spoleto; with the
support of the European Social Fund, it organises a three-year course aimed to obtain the
'restorer- keeper of library and documentary goods' vocational qualification.
Finally, Higher schools for language mediators (Scuole superiori per mediatori linguistici, SSML) are
private higher schools for interpreters and translators (6.17.); they offered three-year courses legally
recognised according to Law no. 697 of 11-10-1986. SSIT, which change their own teaching orders in
accordance with regulations provided by Ministerial Decree (MIUR) no. 38 of 10-01-2002, are called
SSML; these schools issue qualifications destined to the linguistic mediation sector. Such titles are
attained at accomplishment of three-year higher education courses, corresponding to 180 university
credits (6.11.) such courses aim at providing students with a valid cultural and linguistic basis at higher
level, at least in two languages besides Italian, as well as a strong basis in the cultures of the chose
languages; furthermore, these school provide to develop specific linguistic-technical skills, both oral
and written, adequate to the typical professions of the linguistic mediation area. Admission requires the
possession of an upper secondary school leaving certificate or another title attained abroad
acknowledged by the school bodies responsible for teaching. Furthermore, teaching regulation
requires an adequate initial linguistic training; in fact, it sets the necessary knowledge for admission
and determines the verification terms. The perfect knowledge of the candidates’ mother language
should be tested. Teaching is assigned to university professors and researchers or experts with an
adequate translation and interpreting qualification as well as a documented professional experience
obtained carrying out activities related to the subjects in question. Teachers’ academic and
professional curriculum should attest their qualification. The rules in force on study right in the
university sector under responsibility of the Regions apply also to students enrolled in these schools.
SSML diplomas are equivalent to laurea (L) degrees in Linguistic mediation sciences, issued by
universities. They permit admission to laurea specialistica courses of classes 39/S (Conference
interpreting) and 104/S (Literary translation and Technical-scientific translation).
University tertiary education
University higher education is provided in the 89 university institutes, sub-divided as follows:
56 state universities located all over the national territory
3 state polytechnic institutes with their seats in Bari, Milan and Turin
16 free universities, or non-state universities that are legally recognised by the relevant state authority
3 Universities for foreigners in Perugia, Reggio Calabria and Siena
6 higher schools/institutes, called 'special system high schools' because they offer exclusively study
courses and qualifications at the two more advanced levels
11 on-line universities
Postgraduate level
Regulation 509/1999 and Ministerial Decree no. 270 of 22 October 204 (universities teaching
autonomy) confer the responsibility for starting up Doctorate courses to
each university; they establish the number of courses, admission procedures, educational objectives,
duration and study programs. The courses can be started up also through agreements among more
universities and with public and private subjects who have high level cultural and scientific
qualifications.
Each university establishes the amount and the requirements for the assignment of the grants
foreseen for each Doctorate course.
Furthermore, the universities organise courses leading to a second-level Diploma di specializzazione
and to a second-level Master universitario.
Institutions:
Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR)
Ministry of Public Education (MPI)
Ministry of Cultural Goods and Activities
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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