Piedmont: 22.5 million set aside for the ITS Academies

The Piedmont Region has approved the new programme of study for the ITS Academies, which comprises 61 two-year courses due to start this autumn. Thanks to funding largely provided by the European Social Fund, all courses are completely free of charge.

For the academic years 2026–27, 2027–28 and 2028–29, the Region plans to allocate approximately 40.5 million euros, to which further EU, national and regional funds will be added. For the 2026–2027 academic year, €20 million will be allocated to cover course fees, whilst a further €2.5 million will fund the costs incurred by the Foundations for the management, operation and sustainability of training activities.

The new three-year planning document introduces a number of new features: the potential training provision plan for each individual ITS Academy Foundation will be identified, meaning that annual calls for proposals will no longer be issued, thereby saving time and reducing administrative burdens; the performance of each Foundation will be assessed, allowing for annual incentives or penalties to adjust the initial programme; provincial areas and the training needs of local businesses will be prioritised; the technological and vocational training sector will be consolidated; integration with other strategic regional training policies will be refined (the 4+2 model for technological and vocational education, sector-specific academies, apprenticeships, campuses and transnational mobility).

‘When a young person finishes school and has to decide what to do with their future, we must be able to offer them a range of pathways, all of which carry the same dignity and value. ‘The ITS Academies,’ said Daniela Cameroni, Councillor for Vocational Training, ‘are a source of pride in our education system: top-class training, developed in partnership with businesses, which enables our young people to acquire the skills demanded by the labour market and to gain practical experience of the world of work. This is why the Piedmont Region is investing 22.5 million euros in 61 new courses: because we firmly support young people seeking their place in the world and, at the same time, businesses in need of new skills. Our task is to bring these needs together and give young people the tools to build their own future here, in Piedmont, through talent and merit.”