The following sections describe initial teacher education and recruitment procedures according to the most recent legislation in force. Educators and teachers currently working in ECEC settings and State schools may have been trained and recruited under other procedures that have been applied over the years and are not described in this chapter. 

The main categories of educational and teaching staff working in public ECEC settings and in State schools are:

•    Educators in ECEC settings for children under the age of three
•    Teachers in ECEC settings for children aged three and over
•    Primary school teachers (generalist)
•    Lower and upper secondary school teachers (specialist)
•    Support teachers (at pre-primary, primary and secondary level)
•    Teachers of technical-vocational subjects (in technical and vocational institutes)
•    Teachers of Catholic religion (at pre-primary, primary and secondary level)

Initial training for educators and teachers varies according to the figure and level at which they will be teaching.

Educators in settings for children under the age of 3 must hold a bachelor's degree (ISCED 6) in education sciences specifically for working with children in this age group, or a five-year master's degree  in primary education sciences (ISCED 7), supplemented by a specialisation course focused on the education of children under the age of three (D.Lgs 65/2017).

Teachers in ECEC (3-6) and in primary schools must obtain a master's qualification (ISCED 7) after completion of a specific single-cycle programme of five years in primary education sciences. The study programme includes qualifying traineeship activities from the second year of the course of studies (DM 249/2010).

To access initial education for teaching at secondary level, it is required to hold a Master qualification in one of the fields or subjects taught at secondary levels. Initial education for secondary teachers and access to a permanent contract, consists of the following steps:

•    The acquisition of specific cultural, pedagogical, linguistic, and technological competences by completing a qualifying programme corresponding to at least 60 ECTS and ending with a final test,
•    A national open competition held at regional level,
•    An induction phase of one year ending with a final test.

Requirements to teach at secondary level have been reformed by law 79/2022 that has modified the D.Lgs. 59/2017, which remains the reference regulation for initial education and recruitment of secondary teachers.

Support teachers at all levels, beside the qualifications described above, need an additional specialisation course called ‘formative and active traineeship for support teachers’ (Tirocinio formativo attivo - TFA sostegno) (DM 30.09.2011).

Teachers of technical-vocational subjects in technical and vocational institutes are required to hold a technical or vocational upper secondary qualification (ISCED 3) or a short-cycle qualification (ISCED 5) issued by a Higher Technical Institute (Istituto tecnico superiore – ITS). Starting from school year 2024/2025 they will also need a bachelor's degree (ISCED 6) or equivalent degree issued by an ITS. This category of teachers will not be described in further details in the next sections.

The initial education of teachers of Catholic religion involves both the Italian State and the Catholic Church. In 2012, the Ministry of education and the Italian Episcopal Conference, i.e. the assembly of Italian bishops (Conferenza Episcolale Italiana – CEI), have agreed on the qualifications required for teachers of Catholic religion (DPR 175/2012).  Italian regulations establish that teachers must have completed either studies at higher level in religious sciences or theology or theological studies at a seminar. Moreover, in pre-primary and primary schools, also priests, deacons and qualified religious persons can teach Catholic religion. At all levels, beside these qualifications, teachers must also meet the requirements established in the Canon law Code according to which a person is qualified to teach the Catholic religion when she/he demonstrates knowledge of Christian and Catholic contents, possession of pedagogical skills and to lead a Christian life. This category of teachers will not be described in further details in the next sections.

Institutions, level and models of training

Educators and teachers complete their initial education at universities and, only for teaching at secondary level, at institutions of Higher education for fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica – AFAM). Programmes vary according to the category and to the educational level future teachers will teach at.

Early childhood education for children under the age of 3

Two routes are available for training future educators in ECEC settings for children aged less than three years (D.Lgs. 65/2017 and DM 378/2018).

1) The first route requires educators to hold a bachelor's degree (ISCED 6) obtained after completing a three-year programme in the field of educational sciences, specific for working with children aged 0 to 3 years, for a total of 180 ECTS credits.

The bachelor's degree in educational sciences is acknowledged for working in ECEC settings if the relevant study programme includes the study of pedagogy, psychology, sociology and medicine with contents specific for children from 0 to 3 years of age, for a total of 55 ECTS credits. The 55 ECTS credits can be acquired within the mainstream curricular programme, as well as in addition to the curricular programme or through extra-curricular studies. Ten out of the 55 credits must come from traineeship activities, while 5 credits are acquired through practical studies (laboratories), according to a concurrent training model (Annex B to DM 378/2018).

2) The second route is addressed to holders of a master's degree in primary education sciences (ISCED 7) obtained at completion of a single-structure study course of five years (300 credits). In this case, the degree must be integrated with a specialisation course (consecutive training model), organised by the same universities offering the Master degree upon accreditation by the Ministry of university and research. The specialisation course is aimed at acquiring specific competences not included in the master's programme but, nevertheless, necessary to work with children under the age of three. 

The specialisation course lasts one year (60 ECTS credits) and training activities follow a theoretical and practical concurrent approach with lessons, laboratories and direct and indirect traineeships. Theoretical training activities (lessons) lead to the acquisition of 34-40 credits, each credit corresponding to six-eight hours of face-to-face lesson. Laboratories correspond to 10-12 credits, are compulsory and cannot be organised in distance learning. Direct traineeship can be carried out in any of the educational services operating in the country for a total of 175 hours. However, 50% of time must be spent in centre-based ECEC settings (nidi d’infanzia). Indirect traineeship lasts for 75 hours and includes planning and reworking activities also in groups. Traineeships are compulsory and trainees are followed by a tutor (Annex A to DM 378/2018).

School education

Pre-primary and primary education

Teaching at the pre-primary and primary levels, requires a master's qualification (laurea magistrale, ISCED 7) obtained after completion of a specific single-structure course in primary education sciences organised by universities.

Courses last five years and lead to the acquisition of 300 ECTS credits. Courses are organised as follows:

•    Subject-related studies in the areas taught at primary level (total of 135 credits),
•    General studies in the field of pedagogy, teaching, psychology, sociology and anthropology (total of 78 credits),
•    Activities related to the integration of pupils with special educational needs (total of 31 credits),
•    Laboratories, English language, technologies for teaching, final exam (total of 32 credits),
•    Traineeship (total of 24 credits).

Perspective teachers at preprimary and primary level follow a concurrent training model. In fact, students start their traineeship from the second year of studies. Direct and indirect traineeships have an overall duration of 600 hours (24 ECTS credits) and activities are organised by the universities themselves (DM 249/2010).

Secondary education

To access initial education for teaching at secondary level, it is required to hold a master's degree (ISCED 7) released by a university or by an institution of the Higher education for fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM). Master's degrees are released after either a two-year programme or a single-cycle programme in one of the subject areas that are taught in secondary schools. 

Once obtained the master's degree, perspective teachers must complete a university qualifying programme for acquiring specific cultural, pedagogical, linguistic, and technological competences, for a total of at least 60 ECTS. At least 20 ECTS must be spent in direct and indirect traineeship activities. The qualifying programme ends with a final test consisting of a written test and a mock lesson. Passing the final test leads to the teaching qualification (abilitazione) that allows access to the national open competitions held to recruit secondary teachers. Those who pass the competitive examination are hired with permanent contracts as qualified teachers and start the one-year induction period in the school the teacher is assigned to.

Requirements to teach at secondary level have been reformed by law 79/2022 that has modified the D.Lgs. 59/2017, which remains the reference regulation for initial education and recruitment of secondary teachers. The induction phase is regulated by the D.M. 226/2022.

Support teachers at all levels of school education

Those willing to work as support teachers need, first of all, to meet all the requirements for becoming a teacher for the specific levels of education of interest.

In addition, they need to complete a specialisation course called ‘formative and active traineeship’ for support teachers (Tirocinio formativo attivo - TFA Sostegno). Each university, also in agreement with other universities, activates and organises the specialisation courses for future support teachers, according to the general frame established at central level (DM of 30.09.2011) and within the limits of posts available.

The specialisation course for support teachers has an overall length of at least eight months and leads to the acquisition of 60 credits organised as follows:

•    Specific teaching areas such as special teaching and pedagogy, psychology of development and of education, public law, child neuropsychiatry (for a total of 36 ECTS),
•    Laboratories tailored to the different levels of education (for a total of 9 ECTS),
•    Traineeship for a total of 300 hours (12 ECTS),
•    Final test (3 ECTS).

Direct traineeship is carried out at school for 150 hours over no less than 5 months, while indirect traineeship activities for the remaining 150 hours consist of reworking activities with tutors and practical use of digital technologies applied to special education.

Induction (all school teachers)

Those who pass the open competition, must complete a one-year induction phase that ends with a final test. The induction period must correspond to at least 180 days of actual job (exams and assessments included), of which 120 days spent in teaching activities (included all the activities preparatory to teaching), plus a minimum of 50 hours of training activities. A positive evaluation of the induction period confirms the teacher in his/her position. For further details on the induction please refer to the relevant section.

Admission requirements

Early childhood education for children under the age of 3

Initial training of educators in ECEC settings is carried out at higher level by completing any of the following route:

1) a three-year bachelor's programme (ISCED 6) in educational sciences specific for teaching in ECEC settings for children aged less than three years, 

2) a five-year master's programme in primary education sciences, integrated with a specialisation course focussed on education of small children.

An upper secondary education leaving certificate, or any other equivalent qualification obtained abroad, is always necessary to access all university programmes (DM 509/1999).

To access the bachelor's programme for working as educators in ECEC settings for small children, universities may also organise entry tests to verify that students’ initial preparation is adequate. University regulations establish the knowledge required for admittance and lay down tests procedures that can take place on completion of preparatory training activities carried out in collaboration with institutes of upper secondary education. A negative test result does not preclude enrolment; teaching regulations should specify additional specific training requirements to be fulfilled during the first year of course (DM 509/1999).

The admission requirements for the five-year master's courses in primary education sciences are described below in the section ‘School education’, as they are mainly addressed to future teachers of pre-primary and primary education. As for the specialisation courses that integrate the master's degree, they usually have a limited number of posts available established by each university that also sets the criteria to access these courses.

School education

Pre-primary and primary education

For entering a single-cycle master's in primary education sciences aimed at teaching at pre-primary and primary levels, students must hold an upper secondary education leaving certificate, or any other qualification obtained abroad recognised as equivalent (DM 509/1999).

In addition to the required qualification, students must also pass an entry exam. Admission to these university courses is planned and limited at national level (law 264/1999) and the Ministry establishes the number of posts available every year, based on the need of teaching staff, as calculated at regional level (DM 249/2010). Each university organises its admission tests according to specific decrees published by the Ministry every year.

Secondary education

To teach at secondary level, it is required to hold a master's degree (ISCED 7) released by a higher education institution, either a university or an institution of the Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica – AFAM), or any other qualification obtained abroad recognised as equivalent. The admission requirements to access a Master programme are either a Bachelor degree, to access two-year programmes, or an upper secondary leaving certificate in case of single-cycle programmes.

Beside the master's degree, it is also necessary to acquire the teaching qualification by completing a 60-credits programme in specific cultural, pedagogical, linguistic, and technological fields. Universities and AFAM institution organise courses and access to single courses is not limited.

Specific dispositions regulate the cases of teachers with former qualifications or having totally or only partially completed the ITE procedures prior the reform of 2022. In fact, requirements to teach at secondary level have been reformed by Law 79/2022 that has modified the D.Lgs. 59/2017, which remains the reference regulation for initial education and recruitment of secondary teachers.

Support teachers at all levels of school education

Support teachers, in addition to the qualifications required to teach at the different levels of education, need to complete a specialisation course called ‘formative and active traineeship’ for support teachers (Tirocinio formativo attivo - TFA Sostegno). Courses have a planned and limited access. Every year, the Ministry establishes the number of posts available, based on the general need of teaching staff and on the specific needs of support teachers as calculated at regional level. The requirement to access the specialisation courses are:

• For teaching at pre-primary and primary levels, a master's degree in primary education sciences, or a lower qualification obtained before the school year 2001/2002;
• For teaching at secondary level, it is required to be qualified teachers or to hold a master's degree plus the 60 ECTS credits;
• To pass an entry exam aimed at verifying the possession of adequate competences in the use of the Italian language and teaching, as well as on empathy, creativity and other competences necessary to work with pupils with special educational needs.

The entry exam is organised by the single universities according to the structure established by central regulations: a preliminary test with 60 multiple choice questions, one or more written or practical tests and an interview (DM of 30.09.2011).

Curriculum, level of specialisation and learning outcomes

Early childhood education for children under the age of 3

According to the legislation in force (DM 378/2018), the role of educators in ECEC services for children aged less than three years is to organise and carry out activities aimed at developing children’s potentials of relationship, autonomy, creativity and learning in an emotional, playful and cognitive environment. Educators must also ensure equal opportunities of education and care, of relations and play. To this end, educators need to have:

• knowledge of children’s development in all their dimensions (physical, emotional, social, etc.),
• skills of understanding children’s competences,
• theoretical and practical knowledge of education and care of small children and of different contexts and care cultures that children’s families may have;
• relational and communication competences also in relation to support of parenthood,
• competences and knowledge referred to the promotion of children’s wellbeing and to the possible conditions of risk, disadvantage and delay in children’s development,
• knowledge and competences referred to educational methodologies and to the observation and evaluation of children’s behaviours.

Educators are also requested to know the history, the legislation, the organisation and functioning of ECEC services, as well as to have knowledge of planning, organising and evaluating contexts and activities in compliance with national regulations on early childhood education for children aged between 0 and three years.

Initial education of educators has the purpose of providing them with the above-mentioned competences and knowledge.

The Bachelor's degree of educational sciences (ISCED 6) is recognised for working in ECEC settings if the study programme meets the minimum requirements of acquisition of credits in the following sectors:

• Pedagogy, at least 20 credits,
• Psychology, at least 10 credits,
• Sociology, at least 5 credits,
• Medicine, at least 5 credits,
• Laboratories of pedagogy and psychology, at least 5 credits,
• Traineeship, at least 10 credits.

Contents must be specific for children from 0 to 3 years of age, for a total of 55 ECTS credits. Credits can be acquired within the mainstream curricular programme, as well as in addition to the curricular programme or through extra-curricular studies (Annex B to DM 378/2018).

The second route of initial education of educators requires the integration of the master's degree in primary education sciences (ISCED 7) with a specialisation course (60 ECTS credits). The aim of the specialisation course is to provide graduates with contents and competences to work with small children that they have not acquired with the master's programme, which is destined to pre-primary and primary education teachers.

The study programme focuses on studies in the following subject areas (34-40 credits):

• Pedagogy: theory and practice of pedagogy of childhood, of educational relations,  pedagogy of families, history of educational services and models of early childhood education and care,
• Teaching methods: play, inclusive and intercultural teaching, planning, organisation and evaluation, documentation of activities,
• Psychology: psychological development in early childhood, development processes and early childhood education, relational models in families and in educational services, models and techniques of observation of children’s behaviour,
• Sociology of families and of childhood,
• Medicine: health education, paediatrics, education to prevention and hygiene, neuro-psychiatry or psycho-pathology of the development.

Laboratories of pedagogy and psychology, for a total of 10-12 credits, focus on welcoming, planning of environments and activities, care, play, education to reading of images, documentation and observation, team working. Activities are carried out in groups through cooperative works, simulations, observation of real experiences.

The specialisation course also includes direct and indirect traineeships for a total of 9 credits. Direct traineeship can be carried out in any of the educational services operating in the country, while indirect traineeship includes planning and reworking activities also in groups (Annex A to DM 378/2018).

School education

The general aim of teacher education programmes, at all school levels, is the acquisition of subject-related competences as well as of pedagogic, didactic and organisational competences. These general objectives are reached through two programmes organised differently for pre-primary and primary teachers and for secondary teachers.

Beside the different organisations and contents of initial teacher education, teachers at all levels must acquire the following competences:

• linguistic competences in English equivalent to the level B2 of the ‘Common European Framework of Reference for Languages’ adopted in 1996 by the Council of Europe,
• digital competences (use of multimedia languages, use of digital contents and, more in general, use of simulated environments and virtual labs, coding);
• teaching competences suitable to favour the school integration of pupils with disabilities.

Finally, also the acquisition of competences necessary to the development and support of school autonomy is an integral part of initial education of all school teachers (DM 249/2010).

Pre-primary and primary education

Teaching at the pre-primary and primary levels requires the completion of a five-year master's programme (300 ECTS credits) in primary education sciences aimed at teaching in pre-primary and primary schools. Programmes include traineeship activities to be carried out starting from the second year of studies.

Courses provide teachers with the necessary subject related competences and with the ability of adapting their teaching to different age groups and cultures and planning their teaching activities. In particular, graduates in primary education sciences are expected to:

• Have subject-related knowledges in the subject areas taught at school,
• Be able to adapt the contents to the different levels of education and to children’s ages,
• Have the skills to manage the progression of learning adapting times and methods to pupils’ levels of progression,
• Be able to choose and use the most suitable tools, like frontal lessons, simulation, cooperation, discussion, etc.,
• Have interpersonal and managerial skills to work with the class and to build common rules referred to behaviour, responsibility, solidarity and justice,
• Be able to participate in the school life by collaborating with colleagues.

To reach these goals, programmes are organised in general and specific training activities. General teachings aim at the acquisition of knowledge in the fields of pedagogy, teaching, psychology, sociology and anthropology. These studies correspond to 78 ECTS credits.

Specific activities are organised in two areas. The first area refers to the acquisition of subject-related knowledge in the following subject areas: mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, Italian language and literature, English language, history, geography, sports, arts, music, children’s literature. Studies correspond to 135 ECTS credits.

The second area aims at the acquisition of competences referred to the integration of pupils with special educational needs, compulsory in the initial training of all school teachers. This area includes studies in the fields of infantile neuropsychiatry, psychology, law and health. Studies correspond to 31 ECTS credits.

Starting from the second year of studies, students start a compulsory traineeship for a total duration of 600 hours (24 ECTS credits). Traineeship is both direct at school and indirect with activities of preparation, reflection, discussion and documentation of a final report.

The remaining credits come from optional activities, as well as from language and ICT laboratories, the English language test and from all preparatory activities to the final test (DM 249/2010, table 1).

Secondary education

To teach at secondary level, it is required to hold a master's degree (ISCED 7) released by a higher education institution, either a university or an institution of the Higher education for the fine arts, music and dance (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica – AFAM). The curriculum of this segment of secondary school teachers’ education is the one of the master programmes concerned.

Beside the master's degree, it is also necessary to acquire 60 ECTS credits in specific qualifying programmes, which purpose is to provide future teachers with cultural, pedagogical, linguistic, technological and teaching competences. The 60 credits are distributed as follows:

• Pedagogical area: 10 credits
• Direct and indirect traineeships: 20 credits
• inclusive teaching: 3 credits
• digital-linguistic field: 3 credits
• psyco-social-anthropological field: 4 credits
• teaching methods: 2 credits
• subject-related teaching methods: 16 credits
• school legislation: 2 credits

A maximum of 20% of the curriculum can be completed online. The qualifying programme ends with a final exam consisting of a written test and a mock lesson.

Those who successfully complete the qualifying programme, obtain the teaching qualification (abilitazione) that gives access to the national open competitions for the recruitment of secondary teachers. Those who pass the open competition start the one-year induction phase which is described in the relevant section.

Requirements to teach at secondary level have been reformed by law 79/2022 that has modified the D.Lgs. 59/2017, which remains the reference regulation for initial education and recruitment of secondary teachers. Contents of the qualifying programmes are established by the DPCM of 4 August 2023.

CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) is compulsory in general and technical upper secondary education (licei and technical institutes). To provide teachers with the competences necessary to teach their subject in a foreign language, universities can provide courses addressed to qualified teachers with language skills corresponding to the level C1 of the European common framework of references for languages. Courses correspond to at least 60 ECTS credits, including at least 300 hours (12 credits) of traineeship (DM 30.09.2011 on CLIL).

Support teachers at all levels of school education

Support teachers, in addition to the qualifications required to teach at the different levels of education, need to complete a specialisation course organised by universities and called ‘formative and active traineeship’ for support teachers (Tirocinio formativo attivo - TFA Sostegno).

A support teacher is assigned to a class where a pupil with special educational needs is enrolled and works as a class teacher as the other teachers. The role of support teachers is to support teaching activities to help the inclusion process of pupils with disabilities (law 104/1992).

Central legislation describes what specific skills and knowledge support teachers need to fulfil their role, as well as the organisation and contents of specialisation courses (DM of 30.09.2011 and Annexes).

A support teacher is expected to have, for example:

• Theoretical and practical competences in the fields of special pedagogy and teaching;
• Psycho-pedagogic competences with reference to different disabilities;
• Knowledge and competences on educational relations with the group of pupils in the class;
• Competences on methods of relationships and collaboration with families.

The specialisation course lasts no less than eight months and leads to the acquisition of a total of 60 ECTS credits. Courses include studies in specific subject areas, laboratories and traineeship. Specific studies refer to the following teaching areas (36 credits): special teaching and pedagogy, pedagogy of help relation; psychology of development and of education, public law, child neuropsychiatry.

Laboratories are tailored to the different levels of education and focus on special teaching, on psycho-educational and teaching intervention in case of behaviour or relational disorders, on non-verbal languages and communication techniques, and on didactic of education at pre-primary and primary level that becomes guidance and life planning at secondary level. Laboratories are carried out through collaborative work, simulations, practical experiences, and lead to a total of 9 credits.

Traineeship is both direct and indirect engages the trainees for a total of 300 hours (12 credits). Direct traineeship takes place at school and lasts 150 hours for at least 5 months. It can be based on projects drawn up by the university that organises the course or by the school, in coherence with the objectives of the specialisation course. Trainees are supported by tutors who are teachers at the school. During the indirect traineeship, for the remaining 150 hours, trainees carry out reworking activities on their professional experience with teachers and the tutors. The indirect traineeship also includes practical training on the use of technologies applied to special teaching.

Teacher educators

Teacher educators for all teachers, support teachers included, are professors and researchers of the higher education system, i.e. of universities and of institutions of the Higher education of the fine arts, music and dance system (Alta formazione artistica, musicale e coreutica - AFAM).

Initial education of educators and teachers at all school levels includes also traineeship activities that are organised differently for each initial education route. However, in all traineeships, trainees refer to one or more tutors.

Future educators in ECEC settings for small children carry out traineeships either during the bachelor's programme in education sciences for teaching in ECEC settings, or during the specialisation course in case they have a master's degree in primary education sciences. In the first case, tutors are educators and teachers of the institution the trainee is assigned whereas, in case of specialisation courses, the tutors are the teachers of the course (DM 378/2018).

Pre-primary and primary school teachers carry out traineeship activities during their master's programme in primary education sciences. In this case, trainees refer to a tutor who is a teacher at the school they are assigned to and to a teacher-tutor of the course of study, with coordinating functions (DM 249/2010).

Support teachers carry out additional traineeship during the specialisation course for support teachers. Tutors are teachers at the school the trainee is assigned to and must have a permanent contract, have a specialisation for support activities and have at least five years of working experience as support teacher (DM 30.09.2011).

All teachers must complete an induction phase of one year after their recruitment at school. During the induction, teachers are supported by a tutor. The school head indicates the teachers at the school who will also work as tutors of newly recruited teachers. One tutor can support a maximum of three teachers. Tutors’ task is to welcome the teacher in the school community, in class teaching and in collegiate moments with other teachers in order to improve the quality and efficacy of teaching. The tutor also submits a report on the teacher’s experience that is taken into consideration for the final evaluation of the induction period (DM 226/2022).

Qualifications, evaluation and certificates

Initial education of educators and teachers is carried out at higher education level, either at universities or, for secondary school teachers, also at institutions of the Higher education in fine arts, music and dance system (AFAM). Each institution lays down in its own teaching regulation the procedures and methods for students' assessment, within the general frame established by central regulations for the assignment of grades at examinations. Moreover, also in compliance with central regulations, both universities and AFAM institutions have adopted a credit system for the recognition of students' learning workload consisting of CFUs (university formative credits), and CFAs (academic formative credits), which correspond to the ECTS credits. The final test consists in the discussion of an original work in front of a commission.

These general dispositions apply to all programmes at higher education level. Initial education of educators and teachers involves also other types of training, such as traineeships and specialisation courses that apply specific evaluation procedures.

Early childhood education for children under the age of 3

Educators must have completed a three-year bachelor's programme in educational sciences specific for working with small children and obtained the corresponding bachelor's degree (laurea, ISCED 6). Graduates are expected to have the skills and competences necessary to work in ECEC settings, as foreseen by the curriculum of the corresponding three-year programme (DM of 16 March 2007). During their study, students also undergo a traineeship period organised by the singles universities.

Graduates with a master's degree (laurea magistrale, ISCED 7) in primary education sciences can work as educators in ECEC settings. Evaluation procedures as well as expected outcomes are the same of the master's course for pre-primary and primary school teachers. The degree must be integrated with a specialisation course specific on education of small children. The specialisation course has the purpose of providing future educators with the competences and knowledge specific of childhood that they have not acquired in the Master programme. The specialisation course ends with a final exam that consists of an interview on theoretical, methodological and practical competences acquired, as well as a discussion on the activities carried out during the traineeship. The candidate is given a maximum of 30 points and the exam is passed with a minimum of 18 points (DM 378/2018).

School education

Pre-primary and primary education

At the end of the master's programmes for teaching at pre-primary and primary level, successful students are awarded the Master of Primary education sciences (laurea magistrale, ISCED 7) . Graduates are expected to have the skills and competences required by central regulations (DM of 16 March 2007) and by the curriculum of the corresponding programme. During the course of study, students also undergo a traineeship period organised by the singles universities. The course of study ends with the discussion of a final work and of the final report on traineeship and these two tests make up the final examination that, if passed, awards the master's degree and qualifies graduates as teachers (DM 249/2010).

Secondary education

For teaching at secondary level, it is required to complete a Master programme and obtain the relevant degree released by a university or an institution of the AFAM system, in one of the subject areas that are taught at secondary schools and that are covered by the public competition for the recruitment of teachers. 

Moreover, it is required to acquire 60 ECTS in specific cultural, pedagogical, linguistic, technological and teaching competences by completing a qualifying programme organised by universities and AFAM institutions. The qualification is awarded upon passing the final test, consisting of a written test and a mock lesson.

The master's degree and the qualifying 60 credits are the requirements to access the open competitions held at national level and organised at regional level for the recruitment of secondary teachers. The national public competition consists of two written tests and one interview. It also aims also at verifying the knowledge of a foreign language at least at the B2 level of the Common European framework of reference for languages (CEFR) as well as of information and communication technologies. Candidates pass the exam when they have obtained a mark equal or higher than 7 out of 10 in each test. According to their position in the ranking, teachers choose the school where to teach and in that school they start their one-year induction that, if positively assessed, confirms them in their position (D.Lgs. 59/2017 as modified by law 79/2022). 

At the end of the induction period, the school manager assesses the teacher by verifying he/she has reached the professional goals and acquired the competences as established at the beginning of the induction phase. To this end, the school head takes into consideration the advice of the Committee for the evaluation of teachers. The Committee gives its advice after an interview with the teacher based on the preliminary results provided by the tutor and the report made by the school manager. The Committee’s opinion is obligatory but not binding for the school manager who evaluates the teacher. A positive evaluation confirms the teacher in his/her position. In case of negative assessment, the teacher can repeat the induction period only once (DM 226/2022).

Support teachers at all levels of school education

Support teachers at all levels, beside the master's degree, need also to complete a specialisation course for support teachers. The specialisation course ends with the acquisition 60 ECTS and a final examination. The final evaluation of students covers both theoretical teachings and laboratories and traineeships. Students are given a mark expressed in thirtieths and shown in the certification (DM of 30 September 2011). Support teachers at secondary level must also complete the qualifying programmes with the acquisition of 60 credits. The open competition, for support teachers, also verifies the knowledge of special teaching and of inclusive teaching. Once recruited, qualified support teachers start the one-year induction period like all other teachers (D.Lgs. 59/2017 as modified by law 79/2022).

Alternative training pathways

The teacher initial training pathways are only the ones described above.

 

Contents revised: February 2024