Policy framework

In Italy, there is no unified national strategy for entrepreneurship education. However, within the context of promoting lifelong learning, introduced into the Italian legal system by Law 92/2012 (art. 4), increasing attention has been given to the development of entrepreneurial skills.

Italy adopts the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp) as a reference for defining and developing entrepreneurial competences. This framework has been used to develop a syllabus dedicated to secondary schools, providing teachers with examples of teaching methodologies and topics to offer students for entrepreneurship education.

Italian policies and initiatives on entrepreneurship education mainly target primary and secondary school students through school curricula and Pathways for transversal skills and guidance (PCTO), as well as university students and young people in non-formal contexts.

Formal learning

Italy aligns its efforts in entrepreneurship education with the Eurydice Entrepreneurship Education model, through curricular programs and training pathways at various levels of the education system.

• Pathways for Transversal Skills and Guidance (PCTO): introduced to promote transversal skills, including entrepreneurship, through practical experiences in work settings.

• Syllabus for Entrepreneurship Education (Sillabo per l’Educazione all’Imprenditorialità): developed by the Ministry of Education and Merit for upper secondary schools, it provides guidelines for teaching entrepreneurship, based on the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp) for designing educational programs, defining learning objectives, and training teachers.

• Experimental educational pathways (Percorsi educativi sperimentali): starting from the 2024/2025 school year, the technological-professional pathway (technological-professional track) was introduced, integrating technical and professional studies with advanced training opportunities at Higher Technological Institutes (ITS Academy). The goal is to equip students with entrepreneurial skills aligned with labour market needs.

• Liceo del Made in Italy: launched as a new high school track aimed at enhancing Italian craftsmanship and entrepreneurship related to the country’s distinctive economic sectors.

• Cross-cutting strategies in the school system: entrepreneurship education is promoted at various levels of the education system, with an emphasis on developing problem-solving, financial literacy and teamwork skills. Programs are strengthened through collaboration with external partners, such as Junior Achievement.

Non-formal and informal learning

In Italy, the promotion of entrepreneurial skills among young people through non-formal and informal education is supported by various national initiatives. These measures aim to integrate entrepreneurial learning within the contexts of youth work and volunteering, to recognize and validate the skills acquired and to provide specific tools to support the development of such skills.

Italy has a structured system for the validation of skills acquired through non-formal and informal learning. This system is regulated by Law 92/2012, which defines lifelong learning and establishes a national public system for skills certification. Italy uses the National Qualifications Framework (QNQ) to ensure that entrepreneurial skills acquired are aligned with formal qualifications, facilitating their recognition and transferability in the labour market (Cf. 3.5).

The Citizen’s Training Record (Libretto Formativo del Cittadino) documents skills acquired by citizens, including the outcomes of non-formal and informal learning, supporting their valorisation and recognition.

Youthpass is the European recognition tool aimed at identifying and documenting learning outcomes acquired through non-formal and informal learning experiences in projects promoted by Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps programs.

Educators support in entrepreneurship education

In Italy, support for educators and youth workers in the field of entrepreneurship education is ensured through a series of initiatives aimed at providing training, teaching materials, assessment tools, and networking opportunities to promote an entrepreneurial culture among young people. These include:

• The SOFIA platform (Operational System for the Training and Updating Initiatives of school staff), an initiative of the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM), which serves as a tool for continuous training and professional development of school personnel. It also includes courses aimed at acquiring skills and tools useful for promoting entrepreneurship education.

• The Syllabus for Entrepreneurship Education, addressed to teachers of upper secondary schools, designed to support the introduction of entrepreneurship into educational pathways.

• The National Digital School Plan, which promotes, under Action #19, the integration of entrepreneurship into school curricula through learning-by-doing activities and the use of digital tools, providing teachers and schools with guidelines and resources to design entrepreneurial workshops and courses.