Following the recent reform of the second cycle of education in the school year 2010-2011, the curricula of the technical and vocational institutes have been revised. New curricula have been set in the National Guidelines.
The overall length of studies at upper secondary level is 5 years (from 14 to 19 years of age). The first two years of the second cycle of education and training are compulsory. The five years of general upper secondary studies are organised, for teaching purposes only, into two years and a final fifth year. The purpose of the first two-year period (Primo Biennio) is to deepen and develop the competences and skills acquired by students in the first cycle of education. Knowledge and competences are further developed in the second two-year period (Secondo Biennio).
In the fifth year (Quinto Anno), students are expected to have fully specific learning objectives for each branch of specialist study and to have completed their educational, professional profile (PECUP). At the end of both general and vocational upper secondary school, students take a State examination.
Thus, in order to ensure equal education and training (general and vocational) to all students, the Ministry has defined the knowledge and competences that all students are expected to have acquired on completion of compulsory education. This knowledge and competences integrate the current upper secondary curricula, specific for each type of school.
Knowledge and competences are organized into four ‘cultural areas’: languages, mathematics, science/technology and history/social studies. Knowledge and competences are also the basis for building learning pathways aimed at acquiring key skills that can help students in adulthood and for lifelong learning. Key competences are the following: learning to learn, planning, communicating, collaborating and participating, acting autonomously, problem solving, creating connections and relations, acquiring and interpreting information.
“8 MARZO – K. LORENZ” technical Institutes offer technical education in economics and technology sectors.
The National Guidelines set out the specific knowledge and skills that a student is expected to acquire, for each sector and branch of specialisation, in each subject included in the relevant study plan. In addition to knowledge and skills necessary for building the competences of students, the National Guidelines also include the student’s educational, cultural and professional profile (PECUP), representing what a student should know and be able to do at the end of his or her technical or vocational education.
Technical education – Economics
The following economics-based programmes are available:
- Management, Finance and Marketing with the following options:
- Management, Finance and Marketing (AFM),
- Information Systems (SIA),
- International Business Relations (RIM). 2. Tourism (TUR)
Technical education – Technology
The following technology-based programmes are available:
- Construction, Environment e Territory (CAT)
- Technologies of wood in construction (TLC)
- Agriculture, Agribusiness and Agro-industry in the following options:
- Production and transformation (TRA),
- Environment and territory management (GEA).
Vocational education –Services sector with the following option (SAS)
- Services for agriculture and development of rural areas with the following option (SER):
- Promotion and marketing of the area and of the agricultural products” (VAL),
