Italy launches €420 million mobility initiative for 150,000 secondary students

Italy launches €420 million mobility initiative for 150,000 secondary students

Italy has announced its largest-ever school-level international mobility initiative, with €420 million in European funding allocated to support overseas study and language learning opportunities for 150,000 secondary school students.

The initiative was presented at the “Italian students in Europe” event organised by Italy’s Ministry of Education and Merit, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara outlined plans to expand access to international experiences for young people across the country.

Meloni described the initiative as “the most significant language training and international mobility programme ever implemented in Italy for high-school students”, highlighting the importance of helping young Italians improve their foreign language skills while gaining experience in different cultural and educational environments.

“We want to make these resources available so that at least 150,000 young Italians can have what we consider to be a particularly important experience: spending a period of study and training in another European country and improving their foreign language skills, while engaging with realities different from their own,” Meloni said.

Expanding access to international opportunities

The initiative will support around 150,000 fourth-year students from secondary schools, including grammar schools, technical institutions and vocational colleges. The number represents more than 30% of students at this stage of education.

According to Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara, all participation costs will be covered by the Ministry of Education and Merit, including travel, accommodation, meals and living expenses.

Students will be selected by schools based on merit-related criteria and the ISEE indicator, which assesses household economic circumstances. The government said this approach aims to ensure that international mobility opportunities are accessible to students regardless of their financial background.

In addition to students, around 15,000 teachers will also participate in the initiative. Their travel, accommodation and food costs will be covered, with additional compensation available for extra working hours.

Learning through immersion

The standard model will involve a two-week mobility experience, although longer programmes of up to six months may also be organised.

Students will participate in language learning and integration activities in local schools, with opportunities to join classes alongside international peers and study subjects such as history, mathematics and science.

The initiative will also include workshops, group projects, educational innovation activities, company and institutional visits, meetings with experts, intensive language courses and university-style learning experiences.

Meloni stressed that the value of international mobility extends far beyond improving language ability.

“Living and studying in another country, even if only for a few weeks or months, means learning to deal with new situations, becoming more independent, and engaging with people who have different customs, ideas and cultures from your own,” she said.

She added that such experiences help young people develop confidence, broaden their perspectives and strengthen their ability to understand others.

Removing language barriers

The Prime Minister said that foreign language skills have become increasingly important in an interconnected world where universities, employers, research institutions and companies increasingly seek people who can operate internationally.

However, she argued that language learning cannot be achieved effectively through classroom study alone.

“You can only truly learn a language when you experience it and try to understand what’s really behind the words that are used,” Meloni said, highlighting the importance of immersion in the communities where languages are spoken.

She also shared her own experience of learning foreign languages, explaining that her motivation came from personal interests and real-life engagement with other cultures.

Meloni said the government’s objective was to ensure that language barriers do not restrict young people’s future choices.

“We believe our talented young people deserve the same opportunities as all their peers in Europe,” she said. “Young people’s talent cannot and must not be limited by a language barrier.”

Sector welcomes major investment

The announcement has been welcomed by Italy’s international education and language travel sector.

Italian Association of Language Consultants and Agents (IALCA) President Giovanni Pappalardo said the initiative represents a significant opportunity for students, families and education providers.

“This represents a unique opportunity for Italian agencies, international schools, and the whole educational travel and language-learning industry to strengthen the prospects of the sector over the coming years,” Pappalardo said.

He also called for high standards of quality, transparency and professionalism in the implementation of the initiative, particularly in the procurement processes through which schools select education providers.

“With such a significant public investment, our shared responsibility is to ensure that this growth goes hand in hand with high-quality language teaching, reliable accommodation, effective student support and truly meaningful international education experiences,” he said.

Strengthening Italy’s international outlook

The new initiative represents a major step in Italy’s efforts to strengthen internationalisation within secondary education and provide more students with access to overseas learning opportunities.

By combining language development, cultural exchange and academic experiences abroad, the government aims to equip young Italians with the skills and confidence needed to participate in an increasingly globalised society.