Governance

Main actors 

The primary government authority responsible for education and training in Italy is the Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM). The Ministry oversees the entire educational system, including primary, secondary, higher education, and vocational training. Its responsibilities include the development of educational policies, curricula, teacher qualification standards, and school governance. 

The Ministry for University and Research (Ministero Università e Ricerca - MUR) is responsible for the areas of higher education (university, higher education in fine arts, music and dance and other higher institutions) and research (Law 12/2020). The Ministry also oversees relations with ANVUR for the evaluation of the university and research system and, jointly with the Ministry of Education, provides guidance and supervision to INDIRE and INVALSI.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Policiesalso plays a key role in aligning vocational education and training (VET) with  labor market needs, particularly for youth employment initiatives. 

General distribution of responsibilities

Through the State/Regions Conference (Conferenza Stato-Regioni), the Regions work closely with the Ministry of Education and merit and the Ministry of Labour that define the minimum national standards for both the education system and the regional vocational education and training system (sistema di istruzione e formazione professionale – IeFP), over which the Regions have exclusive legislative authority. Regions are also responsible for planning the school network, setting the school calendar, allocating funds to non-state schools, and ensuring the right to education at the university level.

For further information see Eurydice 2.6.

Cross-sectoral cooperation

In Italy, cross-sectoral cooperation is a fundamental aspect of the education and training governance. The Ministry of Education and Merit, the Ministry of University and Research, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, along with institutions such as INVALSI and INDIRE, work in close coordination to shape and implement education policies.

The Ministry of Education and Merit and the Ministry of University and Research share oversight responsibilities over the National Institute for the Evaluation of the Education System (Istituto nazionale per la valutazione del sistema di istruzione, INVALSI) and the National Institute of Documentation, Innovation and Educational Research (Istituto Nazionale di Documentazione, Innovazione e Ricerca Educativa – INDIRE). These institutes operate at the central level, contributing to the evaluation of the student’s performance and the advancement of teaching practices and digital education. The Ministry of university and research also oversees the National Agency for the evaluation of the university and research system (Agenzia nazionale per la valutazione del Sistema Universitario e della ricerca – ANVUR) which is responsible for quality assurance in higher education.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Policies oversees the National Institute for the Analysis of Public Policies (Istituto nazionale per l’analisi delle politiche pubbliche – INAPP), which acts as the main body for research, monitoring, and policy guidance in the field of vocational education and training (IeFP). INAPP contributes to aligning the education and training system with labour market needs, with a particular focus on vocational pathways and initiatives promoting youth employment.