Government Policies

Italian government has announced an action plan for the Information society in the country. This plan:

�         Considers the transition to the Information society to be a strategic priority.

�         Is based on the premise that the trends in the development and adoption of new information and communication technologies (ITC) are largely spontaneous and decentralized

�         Aims to facilitate and accelerate this process by means of:

1.       Encouraging cooperation and links among all participants ( firms, financial markets, universities, non-profit organizations, workers, citizens, government)

2.       Supporting research, education and promotion using flexible existing tools (minimum use of laws, enchancement of coordination, promotional and co-financing arrangaments)

3.       Fostering competition in the ICT sector

4.       Implementing training and social inclusion policies for Southern Italy

Areas of Intervention

�         Promoting the exchange of university researchers and faculty with industry. Issue the implementing regulations for Legislative Decree 297/1999 on the secondment and transfer of researchers and faculty to firms. Ensure support for the hiring of young researchers and establishing study grants for doctoral study

�         Academic spinn-offs. Ensure rapid implementation of the fund for financing industrial research, pre-competitive development and the diffusion of technology during the start-up phase of high-tech enterprises. Provide additional support to academic spin-offs during the production launch phase.

�         Coordination of public and private research in ICT sector. Within the framework of Legislative decree 297/1999, the government intends to ensure effective coordination between universities, research bodies and firms in the ICT sector.

�         Training programs. Within the framework of concentration arrangements, the government will seek to reach agreement with the social� partners on using a part of the fund formed with firm�s contribution of 0.3% of their payrolll earnings bill to finance training courses in ICT.� Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure the courses meet quality standards and reflect the needs of local markets. The program will begin with a priority initiative to train at least 1000 trainers. Assuming that one-sixth of the 0.3% is devoted to this program, each year it would be possible to finance 3 million hours of training involving some 150, 000 participants. European Structural Fund resources can be redirected toward ICT.

PROGRAMMES FOR TRAINING AND SOCIAL INCLUSION OF THE UNEMPLOYED AND WORKERS IN THE SOUTH

Two major free training programmes are devoted to:

�         young unemployed persons in southern Italy, focusing on new technology literacy: computer skills and English (200 billion lire, already approved by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning - CIPE)

�         "knowledge" workers and unemployed persons in southern Italy, in order to increase employment in the high-skill careers of the new economy.

ENHANCING THE ROLE OF THE NUOVO MERCATO STOCK EXCHANGE (WITH BORSA SPA)

In collaboration with Borsa SpA, plans are already being drafted for measures to increase the number of listed companies.

REFORM OF BANKRUPTCY LAW

The aim is to create conditions that encourage the establishment of high-risk start-ups.

LOCAL PORTALS AND INCUBATORS

The Government is committed to disseminating and supporting best practices in local portals at the district level (the Prato model: public-private enterprises) and incubators for multimedia companies (Milano Nord model or private companies, extended to the national level)

The local portal for the Prato district envisages total investment of 2 billion lire. The Milano Nord incubator has invested nearly 5 billion lire in setting up for business and hosts more than 20 new firms.

Other measures include 50% co-financing of libraries and multimedia centres (private, non-profit and municipal) providing access and training to the public (open outside standard office hours: i.e., late evening, weekends)

�         Assumes 5 hours of training per week for classes of 30 people, 42 weeks per year.

CULTURE

The creation of a cultural portal is at an advanced stage. It will be integrated with the local portals. The National Library Service shall be reinforced and completed. The Service will link libraries and multimedia training centers via network.

UNIVERSITIES

The Government�s measures for university education and research are guided by the principle of autonomy and are part of the overall reform of university education.

With the aid of existing instruments, the Government:

�        provides co-financing for university courses in economics and information technology;

�        encourages the exchange of university researchers with industry and the development of academic spin-offs;

�        promotes centres of excellence;

�        supports basic research in ICT.

Co-financing of laboratories, university courses, technology and economics-related Master�s programmes in ICT and the New Economy

(co-financing covers laboratory expenses and course start-up; staff costs not included)

CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

The programs launched by the Ministry for Universities and Scientific and Technological Research envisage the creation of centers of excellence within the universities. Over the three-year programme period the Government will encourage centers devoted to ICT.

SCHOOLS

The key initiative in the effort is the 1997-2000 program for the dissemination of teaching technologies, which will be completed, strengthened and refunded for the coming three-year period.

The initiative has increased the number of computers in schools tenfold, achieving an average ratio of 1 computer for every 35 students at the elementary school level (compared with 1/500 in 1997) and 1 for every 15 students at the secondary school level (compared with 1/50 in 1997).

In 2001 and 2002, the program will bring the level of computer penetration up to the European average.

The initiative will involve both public and private funding. Wired schools will be open for use outside normal school hours as training laboratories for the public.

REFUNDING (2001-2003) AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE 1997-2000 PROGRAMME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHING TECHNOLOGIES

ICT TRAINING FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS

(superintendencies and regions)

*Assuming 20 hours of training per teacher. Each school will have at least one teacher trained to organize multimedia laboratories/libraries.

�