81% of Italian students use AI-based tools, but only 28% develop the skills to use them in the classroom. Two-thirds of teachers say they lack adequate training, and only 34% feel ready to tackle these issues (GoStudent report).
On the eve of the new 2025–26 school year, the Ministry of Education and Merit has published the first Guidelines for the introduction of AI in schools, which set out a methodological and operational framework for informed, ethical and inclusive adoption. UNESCO recently presented the report AI and the Future of Education, which calls on education systems to develop policies based on equity and a person-centred approach, promoting a ‘global commons’ for dialogue and action on the use of AI in education.
Against this backdrop, Ital.IA Lab, created by Fondazione Mondo Digitale in partnership with Microsoft Italia, has evolved into Ital.IA Lab for School, as part of the Microsoft Elevate programme, which aims to train and certify 400,000 people over two years. The project offers a concrete solution to bridge the skills gap, strengthen teachers’ competencies and guide schools towards a responsible and inclusive use of artificial intelligence. Based on the results achieved – over 180,000 people involved between 2024 and 2025, more than 30,000 participants in training activities and 30 active school hubs in the suburbs and southern Italy – Ital.IA Lab for School is shaping up to be a widespread laboratory for the ethical and inclusive adoption of artificial intelligence in schools. The initiative aims to generate real and scalable impacts, contributing evidence and best practices to the public debate on the responsible adoption of AI in education. Indeed, the future of the country hinges on innovation in schools. This means making learning more effective, raising people’s cultural standards and strengthening the collective capacity to tackle social and economic challenges.
ACTIVITIES
The project offers short, flexible modules that teachers can follow according to their own training needs and time availability. The content, available in both synchronous and asynchronous formats, combines theory and practice on artificial intelligence, with exercises on digital platforms and Microsoft tools to innovate teaching methods and improve work organisation. A strategic role is entrusted to teacher ambassadors, who disseminate the skills acquired by training colleagues and promoting experimentation in the classroom. This model enables trained teachers to guide students in project-based activities, generating a multiplier effect across the entire school community. Particular attention is paid to the most vulnerable areas, specifically Southern Italy and urban suburbs, through training events—including in-person sessions—and initiatives co-designed with schools, to respond in a targeted manner to the needs of different regions and ensure equal opportunities for access to training.
MICRO-CERTIFICATIONS
A central element is the micro-certification system: each module, lasting a minimum of 45 minutes, enables teachers to acquire practical skills, assessed through exercises or tests, and certified with recognised digital credentials.
The system is aligned with the main national and European frameworks, such as DigComp and DigCompEdu, and contributes to the creation of a ‘digital licence’ for teachers, in line with the MIM Guidelines and in harmony with UNESCO’s guidelines on the future of education and AI, which emphasise critical, ethical and inclusive skills.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The project involves 50,000 teachers and students, with the aim of issuing 28,000 micro-certifications attesting to practical skills in the use of artificial intelligence in teaching.
