Technical and Vocational Education in Italy: The State and the Regions

Abstract

(i) Academic arts, science and teacher training streams with separate establishments for each. Arts high schools (licei classici) are divided into lower (two years) and upper (three years), science high schools (licei scientifici) provide a five-year course; both were intended to (and still do) lead to university entrance. Teacher training preparation (at istituti magistrali) lasts four years (three years for infants'), and an additional year's study also gives access to university. The issue of vocational education at this level was much debated at the time of the plans to reform upper secondary and university education, and two main views emerged-that even primary school teachers should have a university degree, and that the secondary school course itself should be re-organised (which was done through experiments not directly geared to this purpose, but ultimately with suitable results). (ii) Fine Arts high schools (four years) and institutes (three years). The latter are more directly vocational, although students are eligible for art college after two additional years of study (one extra year for high school graduates). (iii) Technical institutes (istituti tecnici, five years), with courses designed to train people for specific occupations in the following sectors: