OECD's 1998 review of Italy's education system.  It finds that a major reform of the entire Italian education and training system is in progress, aiming at the improvement and integration of learning in schools, universities and regional training institutions in order to respond to changing social and economic demands for knowledge, skills and qualifications. Fundamental changes will include the decentralisation of administrative responsibilities and increased school autonomy, enabling the grassroot actors in education and training to respond more flexibly to the diversity of individual, local and enterprise needs and to utilise more effectively available funds and technologies. Central elements in the reform will also provide evaluation and increased accountability across the system.

The OECD examiners support these objectives and suggest a number of strategies to strengthen the implementation of the reform goals. They underline the need for broad societal agreement on these goals and the mobilisation of all the parties involved in order to achieve the wide-ranging changes which are envisaged.