PON 2019: What you need to know when working with PON projects

 As an international educator you are most probably wondering what is the current state of PON calls and funding. Working within the educational industry for years, helped us learn all the details around PON and now we are more than happy to share all this information with you.  

What is the current state of calls and funding?

The first calls for PON projects: 10.2.3.C and 10.2.5 mobility schemes (the very first of the new financial framework) were published by the Ministry of Education in April 2017.

Schools were invited to submit their project by June 2017 and send their students abroad by August 2018. There were substantial delays in the projects approval process and the Italian Ministry of Education announced the possibility for schools to implement their projects until August 2019. More than 50% of the schools decided to accept the Ministry’s invitation, and will therefore send their students abroad over the summer 2019. These schools are expected to publish their bid for agencies in May/June 2019 to then be able to send their students in July/August/September 2019.

In June 2018 a second call for projects has been published with an even higher budget. Schools submitted their projects (still under approval) for mobility experiences to be implemented again in the Summer 2019. Most likely there will be another announcement for the mobility implementation to be performed by summer 2020. In Spring 2019 a third call is expected to be published, for mobility experiences to be implemented again by Summer 2020.

The way PON implementation works is quite irregular as normally schools publish their bid only a few weeks before the mobility dates, giving agencies limited time to cover the organisation of services. That is why, agencies need to have as much as a differentiated offer as possible in order to offer qualified solutions meeting the different schools’ requirements. You will find below a few data and statistics on the state of art of PON funding implementation based on the results of the first call:

PON Alternanza Scuola Lavoro – data based on the first call results

School participation based on geographical location

Schools from the South of Italy are the most active applicants and this can be easily explained. The old programming period (2007-2014) was granting the possibility to apply for PON mobility funds exclusively to schools from Sicilia, Calabria, Campania, Basilicata and Puglia. Their experience with the old programme explains the high participation rate with the new calls. For this same reason agencies from the south of Italy are also the most experienced and active in securing PON groups.

PON European Citizenship – data based on the first call results

School participation based on geographical location

Again schools from the south of Italy are the most active applicants.

Do you want to learn more about PON and other opportunities to diversify your student body with Italian students?

Click here to download our free e-guide on PON, INPSIEME & ITACA and start your journey on the Italian student market right now!