PURPOSE

The designated training agency of the Rome Chamber of Commerce (IRFI) is a non profit organization based on the principles of efficiency and transparency, acting in compliance with its institutional mandate granted by the Chamber of Commerce
IRFI’s mission is the research, consultancy, organization and management of training activities.
Because of its institutional mandate, IRFI is supervised by a board of auditors appointed by the ministry of Productive Activities, Ministry of Economy and finance and Lazio Region.

CERTIFICATIONS

L’IRFI owns the following certifications:

• ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System by Bureau Veritas Qualità International Italia Srl (accredited SINCERT).

• Authorization for professional training courses (L.R. n.23/92 titolo V – decision by Lazio Region D3984, 26/11/2003).

• Authorized  center for Orientation and Training under the macro-typology “Superior Training” and “Continuous Training” (Decision by Lazio Region  D0860, 01/03/2010).

• Local Academy Cisco for  CCNA certification courses (Id. 3002237) 2003 - 2008.

• Test Center ECDL (European Driving License) 2003 - 2008.

COLLABORATIONS

IRFI works closely with national and international institutions, universities and research centers, also through the offices of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome at Brussels.
The numerous collaborations with government agencies include: Ministries (Productive Activities, Interior, Education), Municipality of Rome and Municipalities of the Province (Anzio, Bracciano Frascati, Monterotondo, Rome, Tivoli, Valmontone), Province of Rome, Lazio Region, System of the Chambers of Commerce (Unioncamere - national and regional - and numerous Italian and foreign Chambers of Commerce), Universities (“La Sapienza”, “Roma Tre”, “Tor Vergata”). The Institute works closely with professional associations and has developed projects for many companies, from the largest (Autostrade SpA, Telecom Italia Spa) to the micro.
IRFI is associated with Retecamere, agency consortium of Italian Chambers of Commerce.

ACTIVITIES

The Institute’s Institutional Mandate is to promote both training activities traditionally carried out by the Chambers of Commerce (courses for Agents and Sales Representatives, Brokerage Agents, Financial Advisors) and the activities aimed at emerging sectors of the market, considering the needs expressed by local businesses. Particular attention is given to the creation of co-financed , and so free for participants, training activities, organized to facilitate the entry of young people in the world of business. Primary importance is given to the activities organised in collaboration with professional associations.
Since 1991, the year of its creation, the Roman Institute for Entrepreneurial Training has created more than 1.100 courses, has provided more than 166.000 training hours and trained around 23.500 students.
From its constitution till 1999 IRFI has carried out only traditional training activities. After the company strategy has been focused on some typologies of activity which are described below the most relevant.
 

MASTER

• Vocational Master in International Business Communication
  In 2001 IRFI realizes the first edition of the Vocational Master in International Business Communication. The Master aims to train professionals capable of working in a meaningful way in a variety of situations in the national and, above all, the international business world through a program completely in English, which develops the ability to communicate in the spoken language (negotiation, presentation, etc..) and in the written language (business correspondence, reports, proposals, etc..).
  Editions produced to date: 7, some of them with the possibility of final stage in the company.

• Vocational Master in Quality – Safety – Environment (MasterQSA)
  A the beginning of 2003 is launched the first edition of MasterQSA. It’s a full-time course for recent university graduates, during 10 months, including 6 months of project work  in companies adopting advanced Quality Management Systems. The Master leads the participants to gain the methodologies and the competences necessary for the creation and the maintenance of Quality Management Systems required by enterprises. The Master includes 3 courses for Appraisers (Quality Management Systems, Environment Management Systems, Safety Management Systems) with BVQI certification.
  Editions produced to date: 7, all of them including stage.

• Vocational Master in Quality Management (MQM)

• Master for Food Quality and Safety Manager
  Between 2005 and 2006 the Quality Management proposal of IRFI is enriched by two brand new activities.
  The first (MQM) is realized by IRFI in collaboration with Bureau Veritas Quality International Italia, with the aim of training professionals for a consolidated and resource demanding market (in Lazio there are many enterprises working with ISO 2001:2000 Quality Management System). The professional trained by the Master – the Quality Manager – can propose himself to the enterprises, of prefer running the activity of consultancy by his own or, furthermore, be an Appraiser for Certification Agencies. The Master ends with a 40 hours course for Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor certificated by an international personnel accreditation agency.
  The second proposal, the Master for Food Quality and Safety Manager, aims to create expert professionals in food product creation process management. The Master is in collaboration with ARM (Azienda Romana Mercati), the Special Agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome for the promotion and improvement of the agronomy industrial field, and the BVQI. The training activity is created thanks to the demand of the agronomy industrial field enterprises for experts able to help them in quality product realization.
  The Master ends with a 40 hours course for Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor certificated by an international personnel accreditation agency.
  Editions produced to date: 2, all of them including stage.

• Master MED – Master in Cultural Experience & Design
  Launched in November 2007, this Master, made in collaboration with Domus Academy, aims to create professionals able to think and create big cultural events.
  The Master is made up of four thematic areas – Humanities, Human Being Sciences, Economy and Management, Technology. The fil rouge is the Design in its traditional concept (Design History, Strategic Design) but also in innovative concept (Interaction, Scenery, Service Design).
  Aim of the Master is to train an high-profile cultural experience designer/manager, able to project, organize, manage cultural activities and their communication.
  Editions produced to date: 2, all of them including stage.

MANAGEMENT

• “Fare Impresa” (Doing Business)
  In 2003 IRFI launches the first edition of the training course “Fare Impresa”. The course is addressed both to people interested in setting up their own business and those, already in business, who want to improve their skills or the quality of their company. The course is made up by a series of short modules so to teach the basic rules of entrepreneurship. In 2006 IRFI launches the second edition, in collaboration with Seniores Italia, the Italian largest non-profit international professional voluntary work organization. Thank to this collaboration, the seminars can have expert teachers on their respective fields, entrepreneurs and managers bringing their own on-the-field experiences.
  From June to October 2010 a third edition, made up by 13 seminars, is realized in collaboration with Banca di Credito Cooperativo and Ass.For.SEO.
  Editions produced to date: 3

• Social Enterprise Manager

• Social Enterprise Management course for immigrant women
  Within the same area of the European Social Fund, two project are financed respectively in 2005 and in 2006. The first aims to the teaching of business plan and to the acquisition of competences about the management of non-profit organization. The second project aims to let the immigrant women learn necessary professional competences for the creation and management of a non-profit organization, in particular about law, physical and managerial aspects.

• “Affrontare con successo i mercati internazionali” (International Trading Seminar)
  On 2003 is launched a series of updating seminars about International Trading. The seminars aims to give to the managers, operating with international enterprises, a strong support so to help them cope with complex and constantly evolving situations. The main fields covered by the seminars are: Exchanges inside EU, Taxation, Transports, Payments, Contracts, Marketing, Customs.
  Editions produced to date: 4

• Bank Broker
  In 2009 IRFI enriches its training catalogue with the course aimed to form Bank Brokers. The course is aimed to those who want to start a new profession and to people already working in this field, needing to update their competencies-
  In May 2010 a second edition is started.

• Training courses for the Chamber of Commerce
  In 2009 IRFI starts courses organized for Special Agencies of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome, in particular courses of English, Spanish and Informatics. The courses have a second edition in 2010.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

• CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
  At the end of 2003, after getting the qualification as Cisco Local Academy, IRFI launches successfully the first edition of Cisco Networking Academy Program, a training course worldwide known as the standard for excellence in the field of Networking.
  Editions produced to date: 7

• Financial Promoters – Online Edition
  In October 2004 IRFI starts its e-learning internet site www.irfionline.it, using flexible technologies, easily understandable by the user. The aim is to extend the training offer to new targets, proposing a blended-learning training model (e-learning with traditional training). The first training activity designed for this new model is “Financial Promoters – Online Edition”, the online edition of the Institute’s training course for future Financial Promoters, aimed to the passing of Consob’s exam and the inscription to the National Register.

• ECDL Test Center
  From 2003 to 2008 IRFI hosts exams for the ECDL - European Computer Driving Licence.

LANGUAGE FOR BUSINESS

• “Language and Business” courses of Arabic, Chinese and Turkish
  In the years 2005 and 2006 IRFI, in collaboration with IsIAO (Italian Institute for Africa and the Orient) launches three biennial courses on “Language and Business”: Arabic, Chinese and Turkish. The three courses, each of 300 training hours per year, aims to form professionals capable to communicate, to understand different environments, to have the cultural instruments useful to maintain commercial relationships with other countries.
  Editions produced to date:

  • “Chinese Language and Business”: 3 editions

  • “Arabic Language and Business”: 3 editions

  • “Turkish Language and Business”: 3 editions

In addition, IRFI is among the sponsors of the first substantial Chinese-Italian dictionary, realized with a decennial work by IsIAO.

NATIONAL PROJECTS

• Quality in handicraft and commercial services
  In 2000 IRFI receives about 8 billion Lire (equivalent to € 4.131.655,19) in public financing (Lazio Region and Ministry of Labour), organizing training courses with internships for young unemployed, and managing the Project “Quality in handicraft and commercial services”, which resulted in 1.850 employees and entrepreneurs being trained.

• Job Network Agency for Women
  In 2001, within the European Social Fund Operative Program, “Obiettivo 3”, projects by IRFI for a value of € 7.473.691,13 are approved. In particular, IRFI sets up the Project “Job Network Agency for Women” (decision by Regione Lazio n°150 – 11/07/2001 – European Social Fund “Obiettivo 3”), for a total value of € 4.334.838,00. The Project is born by an idea developed by IRFI in collaboration with G.Reiss Romoli School (group Telecom Italia), having the aim af creating a “virtual agency” for women living in the Lazio region interested in improving their professional competences within the field of the new/net economy through the site of the Project “Leionline.net”.

• Projects POR Lazio/European Social Fund and Ministry of Communication
  In 2002 IRFI presents projects for a value of € 4.903.153 (equal to Lire 9.493.828.059), both under the Lazio Region Operative Program of the European Social Fund, and in ICT sector (Ministry of Communication).

• Entrepreneurship School: coordinated actions aimed to help the school reform and school-job alternation in Lazio Region
  Developed in 2003-2004 in relationship with the Moratti School reform, the Project aims to experiment learning paths and models incorporating  school-job alternation, so to create a stable relationship between school institutes and local business reality.

• Kometa
  From 2003 to 2004 IRFI carries out the Project Kometa, in collaboration with AsseforCamere and financed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies (PON Ob. 3) within the European Social Fund, for the study and analysis of continuous training needs by small businesses (for which the IT can offer optimal solutions) workers.

• A.L.A. – Avviamento al Lavoro in Azienda (Starting Work in a Business)
  In 2004 IRFI, as Training Agency of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome and thanks to its long experience in the field of training activities project and managing, is designated by the Province of Rome for taking care of planning and coordination of the operative and economical activities of Project A.L.A. (Avviamento al Lavoro in Azienda – Starting Work in a Firm). The Project is promoted by the Province of Rome Work Department with the aim of filling the gap between occupation needs and skills available on the market, through the realization of short training activities based on the demand by businesses, and promoting the employment of ad-hoc trained resources.
  From 2004 till today, Project A.L.A. has been financed by about € 1.600.000, trained 630 people, 471 of them obtaining contracts in companies involved in the Project.

• “L’albero delle Conoscenze: un’iniziativa per l’orientamento al lavoro nella Nuova Fiera di Roma”
  (Knowledge Tree – a job orientation system for the New Roma Fair)
  A biennial Project, financed by the European Social Fund (POR Lazio Ob. 3) with about € 600.000. The activity takes place in 2006-2007 and aims at the creation of an innovative system of orientation, welcoming and job fostering and serf entrepreneurship in the New Rome Fair area. The Project tries to facilitate the matching between skills demand and offer and job opportunities through a knowledge-competence mapping and visualization system, thanks to the use of the software “L’Albero delle conoscenze” (Knowledge Tree).

• BLUS (Borsa Lavoro Università Sapienza)
  In 2006 – 2007 IRFI takes part in the Project “BLUS – Borsa Lavoro Università Sapienza” which aims to support people in the enhancement of skills gained during their university, supporting them in finding employment. BLUS is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Labour, the Lazio Region, the Province of Rome, the Chamber of Commerce of Rome, Laziodisu, the IRFI and the Trade Unions. The initiative is transformed in 2008 in SOUL (University Job Guidance System), also thanks to the effort by IRFI, becoming the system of placement of the 4 public universities of Rome (www.jobsoul.it).

• Riprendere il Filo
  In 2007 IRFI, in ATS (temporary association for purpose) with CNA and Alta Roma (Special Agency of the Rome Chamber of Commerce),  and with the participation of the Department of Social Policy of the Municipality of Rome and the employment centers of the Province of Rome, implements a training project designed to teach the craft of model to 20 young women in situations of high social disadvantage.

• “Un Ponte Rosa” (A Pink Bridge)
  In 2008, the project takes place "A Pink Bridge", built in ATS (temporary association for purpose) by IRFI with two universities in Rome, “La Sapienza” University and the University of Roma Tre, within the European Social Fund (Lazio POR Ob. 3, Measure E1, "Improving the living standards of women"); value of the initiative € 500,000. The project aims to improve the employment opportunities of unemployed women and unemployed in the Province of Rome, facilitating their entry or reentry into the labor market through internships that promote the encounter between the women's professional aspirations and the needs of businesses. Approximately one third of the 50 placements planned and implemented gives rise to a contract of employment.

• Knowledge Network
  In 2008, IRFI develops the Project Knowledge Network, with the aim to collect directly from companies, trade associations and through a sophisticated internet-based database, the demand for skills in real time, so to provide continuous monitoring of the job profiles required in a logic of employability.

• Knowledge Network II
  In 2010 the project is refinanced in order to refine the procedures for collecting and processing data, and technically improve the software and the database update system.

• European Social Fund 2007-2013
  In November 2009 IRFI presents two projects for the Regional Call ESF 2008-2012 Axis A, employed workers, in favor of two companies of the most representative sectors of the economy of the region, ICT and Audiovisual. The Projects are approved in February 2010.

• KNE (“ Knowledge Network Estero”)
  In 2009, IRFI carries out the project called KNE (“Knowledge Network Estero”), within the FEI (European Integration Fund), managed in Italy by the Ministry of the Interior and co-financed by the Chamber of Commerce of Rome for a total of 3.5 million Euros. The initiative, designed by IRFI on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, is designed for 335 non-EU citizens with no more than 5 years of legal residence in Italy, and aims to provide a theoretical and practical training that fosters knowledge of language and System-Italy. Furthermore, it aims to teach a profession really requested by the territory, through the building of a mechanism based on needs expressed by the professional business world of the Province of Rome. The initiative is in cooperation, for its realization, with trade associations (UIR, CNA, Confartigianato, ACAI, League of the Cooperatives, Federlazio) and the Dante Alighieri Society and the OIM (International Organization for Migration). Through a careful investigation, 18 professional profiles are highlighted. These profiles give rise to the design of 18 training courses.
  The project ends in June 2010. All training activities were completed by 303 students, 96 of which were contracted to work with different types of contract.

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS

• Pole Star (Leonardo da Vinci Programme)
  2003-2004: Realization of the Pole Star Project - European Standards and Tools for ODL trainers, in collaboration with Sinform, which proposes the analysis of the processes of distance learning useful for defining the skills for training of trainers.

• N.I.S.I.A. (New Immigrant Entrepreneurs for the Takeover in Handicraft Enterprises)
  From 2005 to 2007 is ran the Project Nisia - presented within the Call for Community initiative Equal II and funded by the Ministry of Welfare, in partnership with I.S.R.I. (Institute of Industrial Relations) and AsseforCamere. The Project includes training of immigrants determined to take over handicraft companies.

• Women on Board
  Between 2006 and 2008 IRFI realizes the Project “Women on the Board of Local Development” funded by Eurochambres and coordinated by Eurochambres Women Network within the European Union Framework Programme for the promotion of a strategy of access to credit for women entrepreneurs.

• Job Rotation
  From 2007 to 2008 IRFI carries out the activities of the Project Job Rotation (Program E-Ten of the European Union), who sees the IRFI engaged in collaboration with a group of 7 partners from different countries (Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Greece and Italy). The project defines the criteria necessary for employees of a company starting a training period to be replaced during their absence, by appropriately trained unemployed.

• Project Leonardo da Vinci (LLP – Lifelong Learning Programme)
  In 2010: approval of the Project Leonardo da Vinci / TOI (Transfer of Innovation) called SMART KNOW NET (Skills Matching And Route Network for Knowledge) for a total of € 399.867,69 for the transfer of the KN platform in collaboration with the University “La Sapienza” and 5 EU partners (University of Riga - Latvia, CCI of Krakow - Poland, the Job Centre in Madrid - Spain, Union of Greek SMEs together with an ICT company - Greece).

• Notice for the establishment and strengthening of the network system of placement of universities and institutes of higher education in art and music and for conducting trainings - Project "StartUp".
  Project Partners: University "La Sapienza" of Rome.

• Project A.M.I.C.I.
  Project for a value of € 80,000.00 within EIF funds (European Fund for the Integration of third country nationals 2007-2013) - Ministry of the Interior.

2011

The year 2011 sees the IRFI involved in the presentation of financed projects. Presented in January, the project "PROMOAGRI - Promotion of marketing and business development in agriculture" aims to promote interventions in rural areas aimed at supporting the marketing, supply chain integration and the support and development of niche products. A project by the total value of € 106.400,00 and considered eligible by the Lazio Region.
The Institute also presented the project Leonardo TOI (Transfer of Innovation) "ENEA-TAP" (European Network of Entrepreneurship Angels - Adaptation Training Path), by a value of € 399.424,37, in collaboration with 4 European partners. The project aims to identify the ideal profile of the tutor of new businesses, then creating a specific training path for this professional. The project was ranked as third in reserve list
In June, the Institute sees approved by the Province of Rome the Project “C.A.S.A.M.I.A. - Update Service Coordination and Nursery Assistants: Integrations and Startup”, by a value of € 31.200,00 and focused on the formation of 15 female working members of” Social Cooperatives SS Peter and Paul” and "Twice Upon a Time".
From the July IRFI, in partnership with the University of Rome "La Sapienza", is in the catalog of the Lazio Region “AltaFormazioneInRete” with "Specialized Translation, Dubbing and Languages for International Communication", a course of University Higher Education having 800 training hours (of which 300 of internship) designed to train a professional figure able to work in the fields of dubbing, international communication services in tourist-receptive, publishing and cultural production. The project has been approved by the Lazio Region.
In the same period is presented in collaboration with international partners, the project "European Job Coupling", Progress Projects area, for a value of € 247.996,83 focusing on the exchange of best practices within the guidelines of the European Commission in the document "An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs".
On October 17, 2011 IRFI presents the project "Sustainable Entrepreneurship" about the Call "ERASMUS for Young Entrepreneurs", funded by the European Community. The project, proposed in collaboration with Italian and foreign institutions, has as its objective the development of entrepreneurial skills in an international context, through the establishment of a network of young entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs with success stories.
Also in 2011, the Institute presentes the Projects "Seminars on the fast and efficient recovery of suffering credit by SMEs operating across borders" and " SOLAB-In –Social and labour integration of third country adults citizens at city and borough level in selected intervention areas trough integrated and innovative measure", in collaboration with Spanish and German partners.
In the institutional field, the IRFI consolidates the work already underway, and presents new proposals. In particular, it starts the courses "D.Lgs. 81/08" and on HACCP, in collaboration with CONFARTIGIANATO Imprese Roma.
Moreover, it starts in May second edition of the Course for Business Brokerage Agents in collaboration with the FIAP (Italian Federation of Professional Estate Agents).
In September starts, in collaboration with the IGL - Italian Gemological Lab, a leader in the industry, the "Study and identification of colored gems" Gemological Course,  at the Chemical Merchandise Laboratory of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome
Also in September, the catalog is updated with the seminars "Doing Business" in collaboration with “Seniores Italia – Partner per lo Sviluppo Onlus”. At the same time, the “Course for Family Assistant” is offered, organized in collaboration with the Fondazione Internazionale Fatebenefratelli and being part of the qualification courses recognized by the Lazio Region (Regional Law 23/92).
In October is scheduled, the course for Tagesmutter, in collaboration with the Cooperative SS Peter and Paul and the Cooperative Patatrac. The course aims to train the new profession of Tagesmutter ("daytime mothers").
In the same period are programmed two editions of the Course for Business Brokerage Agents including an integrative training course, and a third edition of the Course for Business Brokerage Agents  for third and additional agents Brokerage in collaboration with collaboration with the FIAP.
For the December 2011 IRFI has planned, in addition, a new edition of the course for Credit Mediators and the relaunch of the course for Financial Advisers.
 

2012

The IRFI for 2012 intends to continue its commitment to entrepreneurial education by strengthening training activities traditionally carried out by the Chambers of Commerce, the so-called institutional courses, intervening in educational content, improving the overall quality, expanding the provision of training offer, in a logic intervention to ensure the constant link with the Associations, and developing new opportunities in other sectors.
Also in collaboration with the Trade Union system, the Institute will promote initiatives aimed at emerging sectors of the market and to cover the professional and training needs expressed by companies in the area through the continuation of the project KN, performing specific training actions for young people (including non-EU citizens) willing to create micro-enterprises (Project Integrated Training for the New Immigrant Entrepreneurs) in collaboration with Società Dante Alighieri, an institution that promotes the Italian language in Italy and worldwide.
With regard to training activities funded under the Community Funds, in collaboration with universities and research centers, the IRFI will design Projects within the Leonardo and 7th Framework Programme (Project PPBE).
In collaboration with Schools, Ministry of Education, RomaCapitale IRFI will launch a training plan to help start micro-enterprises, within the initiatives defined as School-Work Alternation (School Work Project). This plan will be aimed at young people coming from the last years of technical and vocational schools, which often belong to families where the head of the household is a self-employed, to raise awareness among young people about the convenience and the opportunities that working in the family business can in terms of job opportunities.
The IRFI is preparing the foundations for the implementation of a master on the quality of food products (Food Agronomy Master) to be implemented in collaboration with the ARM and industry associations.

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS

1999: Research on open and distance learning needs of SMEs (under Objective 4, axis 1, sub-axis 2). The purpose of this research is to investigate the training needs of SMEs to analyze how the new processes induce new employment opportunities.

2001: Feasibility Analysis of a post-graduate Advanced Course in Economics of Convergence. (Objective 3 - Implementation of the Operational Programme of the Lazio Region for the year 2000). Purpose: to create a permanent structure for the development of specific skills for the IT market place applied to the media and a place for training resources for companies of the Italian New Economy.

2005-2007: Microenterprise and Urban Development. IRFI annually realizes and publishes  for three consecutive years Research on the Roman micro-entrepreneurship.
In addition to a structural analysis on the development of micro-businesses underground, each report uses a special survey to gather opinions and guidance of a representative sample of companies in different sectors. On 2005 the report was based on the Food and Informatics sectors; on 2006, on the catering and audiovisual sectors; on 2007, on the Bar / Ice Cream and Clothing / Fashion sectors.
The research starts from the fact that there is a need to strengthen small businesses human resources to consolidate the urban area, but there is also the need to qualify the urban area, to encourage the startup and growing of enterprises. Interviews with small-scale entrepreneurs can identify the problems that companies face daily, their attempts to overcome them through the adoption of the various possible strategies. Among the latter, considering the centrality of human resources, training plays an increasingly strategic role if implemented as a result of careful design and in accordance with actual needs of enterprises.

2008: Employment and career aspirations of women in the Province of Rome. The study is carried out under the project "A Pink Bridge" (POR Lazio Objective 3 2000-2006, ESF Measure E1) by IRFI maintained in ATS (temporary association for purpose) with the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and University “Roma Tre” and provides an analysis of three different areas: employment prospective and training paths preferred by women, the professional needs of businesses, existing matching services in the province of Rome.

2010: The baker and hairsylist. The publication, realized within KNE Project financed by the European Integration Fund, traces the various stages of the training project aimed at citizens of Third States and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses with a view aimed at continuing constructively the work done.

SCHOLARSHIPS AND INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The IRFI, to promote entrepreneurship education, signs in 2004 an agreement with the Iacocca Institute (USA) to allow two of his best students to take the course "Global Village for Future Leaders of Business and Industry" at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania.
In 2005 the Institute gives to one of his pupils especially capable and deserving a scholarship for a three-month internship at the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Houston (Texas).
A similar initiative has been realized 2006.
Since 2004 the IRFI announces an annual competition for the award of some scholarship award, reserved to students who particularly distinguished themselves; the scholarship award is given on a merit base:  results of intermediate learning tests, results of the verification test or final course exam, attendance frequency.