In Italy, Higher Technical Institutes (ITS) offer non-university tertiary level education, leading toward an EQF 5th level degree. Aforesaid institutes were established on January 25, 2008 by a Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers and became operational upon the enactment of the MIUR MLPS coordinating Decree dated Sept 7, 2011. ITS LAST program is a two years post-degree specialization program in the sector of logistics and innovative mobility systems. ITS was born to meet the needs of the companies, in terms of finding the right and qualified trained resources otherwise difficult to find anywhere else in the market. Unioncamere highlights that in the next 5 years the employment in logistics will increase by 15%. ITS LAST was born to satisfy the companies, they plan the project and thanks to these premises, it can facilitate an immediate inclusion in line with the employment world.
On this background ITS LAST wants to increase the available resources in order to improve the educational offer and technical and professional training, towards an internationalization perspective. The Erasmus Charter, in so doing, at facilitating students in their mobility programs regarding integrated logistics, transports and goods trade. This choice originated from a review of the needs in terms of technological and organizational innovation, after meeting some logistics, transport and automotive companies. The review was carried out jointly with Confindustria, and companies as Volkswagen, Calzedonia, Adami, Man, Volvo, Scania and many others. The review has shown how important is to be receptive to new mobility programs abroad in order to organize a vocational path which could transfer the know-how to the students who want to work both in the transport and transportation sector, at an international level. From the point of view of internationalization, the strategy by ITS LAST presents itself as a strategy able to:
- train technicians with skills within the transportation sector, the functional relations and integrations sector, and the infrastructure and operative reference systems;
- make available specific skills in the business relationship management and in the relationships with the players taking part in international logistics and transportation system, and involved in the flow of people, goods, and transports;
- actively contribute to the development of an international network including Higher Education Institutes in the logistics sector, with the aim to add value to the good practices and improve the educational offer.
On the basis of these objectives, the partners for the Erasmus activities are selected. In particular, it is possible to get in contact with training institutions and companies working in the referent sectors of training of ITS LAST and students are encouraged to attend lessons and traineeships in foreign countries. Since 2011, LAST has involved 400 companies hosting interns, some of which have branches either in Germany or in other European countries and are available to welcome new students in other countries (Nagel Group, Volkswagen, DB Shenker, Gruber Logistics, Fercam, Paneuropa-Rösch, Man, Volvo, Scania and others).
The partners are chosen firstly and foremost on the basis of the course of study at ITS LAST, with the aim to widen the network of opportunities for the students working on the development of new and specific skills, besides the creation of a professional profile able to satisfy the needs and the requests of the international market in an efficient manner. Attention is given to the partners speaking German and English, thus strengthening the linguistic skills of the students. Moreover, much care is taken of the partners coming from Germany and the EU, where English language is spoken fluently (Northern Europe). The quest for partners takes place being aware that «a regular and efficient cooperation among the promoters is key to a good and successful project named Erasmus».
The actions involve all students ITS. The program gives a diversified offer to satisfy the needs coming from the economic and employment field on the one side, and to give real answers in terms of acquisition and acknowledgement of professional skills towards foreign international markets on the other side. The program is carried out through training periods abroad. Moreover, a synergy among various foreign partners is shaped, with the aim to promote the Erasmus program and push students to participate to courses of study, traineeships, project works at companies involved within the services of logistics and distribution. The objectives of the mobility activities are:
- making available to students the main skills useful in the management of the Warehouse, Transports’ activities and the Logistics at an international level, improving their own professional skills apt to be used in a foreign market;
- giving to the students the right skills in order to be able to work using a foreign language.
Click here to download the ERASMUS CHARTER