Ministry of Education, Universities and Research

The Ministry of Education, Universities and Research ("Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca", or "MIUR") is the ministry of the Italian government for the national education system, the Italian universities and research. It is currently headed by Mariastella Gelmini of Popolo della Libertà.

History

In 1988, the "Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca" was split off from the Ministry of Public Education. In the first Romano Prodi cabinet the two were merged back into the "Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione, Università, Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica", then as the "Ministero dell'istruzione, dell'università e della ricerca" (MIUR) in the second and third Silvio Berlusconi cabinets. The two were re-separated in the second Prodi cabinet of 17 May 2006, but then re-merged in the fourth Berlusconi cabinet of 7 May 2008.

tructure

National level

*Department for ministerial planning and for ministerial management of the education budget, human resources and information
*Department for education
*Department for the universities, higher education establishments in art, music and dance,

The three Departments carry out policies dictated by the Ministry and form the body which directs and programs educational policy.

Local level

Regional education "Uffici", which are autonomous administrative centres, carrying out the instructions of the Departments, directly supporting individual schools, and articulating the policies on the ground.

Ministers

ince 2001

External links

* [http://www.pubblica.istruzione.it Official site of the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione]
* [http://srvforum.istruzione.it Ministry's official forum]