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A new non-profit organization to support education
Today, at the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, the Foundation for the Italian School was presented, a new non-profit body destined to play a crucial role in the national educational panorama. Entirely financed by private individuals, the Foundation will operate in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Merit, with the aim of transposing territorial needs and optimizing the allocation of resources through the development of national projects and tenders.
The creation of the Foundation was made official with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Foundation itself and the Ministry of Education and Merit. This step represents a significant synergy between public and private, laying the foundations for a collaboration aimed at strengthening the Italian school system. The Foundation for Italian schools was born thanks to the contribution of large companies such as UniCredit, Banco BPM, Enel Italia S.p.A., Leonardo S.p.A. and Autostrade per l’Italia, which act as subsidizers. The inauguration ceremony saw the participation of the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara, who underlined the importance of this initiative.
The Foundation is led by Stefano Simontacchi, partner of the BonelliErede law firm, assisted by a high-profile Board of Directors, made up of Giovanni Azzone, president of the Cariplo Foundation, Fabrizio Palenzona, president of the Prelios Group, and Rosa Lombardi, full professor of the “La Sapienza” University of Rome. To ensure compliance with the founding ideals, a Board of Guarantors was also established.
The Foundation has set an ambitious fundraising goal: 10 million euros in the first year of activity, with a forecast of reaching 50 million euros by 2029. These funds will be invested, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Merit, for defining the priorities of interventions and supporting schools throughout the national territory, from North to South. The intent is to consolidate the virtuous dialogue between public and private, in particular in the productive sectors where the satisfied with professional skills.
“School is the pillar for the development of our country,” declared Minister Valditara. “In OECD countries, the average private investment in schools represents 2% of the overall investment in the sector, in Italy it is only 0.5%. In the name of a great alliance between public and private, it is important to also encourage investments from the world of business and finance to help support, in harmony with public policies, the school system, making it increasingly competitive. The establishment of the Foundation for the Italian School goes in this direction. I thank those who have believed since. start in this project, deciding to join it with important funding.”
Stefano Simontacchi, president of the Foundation for the Italian School, illustrated the organisation’s mission: “In a world that changes at a speed never experienced before, the Foundation for the Italian School was created to support the Ministry of Education and Merit in build a school that gives every student the opportunity to grow with the knowledge and skills that allow them to live their lives in line with their inclinations and aspirations. The need is for the private sector to also take action for the Italian online school with international best practices. The Foundation aims to provide, in concert with the Ministry, concrete economic support to Italian educational institutions. We aspire to establish a virtuous dialogue between companies and institutions to help further strengthen the school system to address the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
The birth of the Foundation for Italian schools represents an important step towards greater integration between public and private resources in the education sector. This initiative has the potential to significantly improve the quality of education in Italy, responding to the specific needs of the various territories and optimizing the use of available resources.
With the commitment to raise significant funds and invest in targeted projects, the Foundation presents itself as a new model of collaboration between public and private. Its activity will not only provide financial support to schools, but will also contribute to creating a more dynamic and competitive educational environment, capable of preparing new generations to face the challenges of the future. In summary, the Foundation for Italian schools is a concrete example of how cooperation between different entities can lead to positive results for society, aiming for continuous and sustainable improvement of the national education system.
Alessandro Fiorentino