The training program “Environment and Development: The Needed Change” (approved by BURP no. 23 of 04-02-2010 – Det. No. 262/FPF Reg. Serv. PI, FP, Sport of 24/12/2009) is designed as a specialized business creation program aimed at environmental protection and the development of human capital of excellence.

The initiative was launched to provide a concrete response to the issues raised by the production sector and citizens, offering a path capable of translating environmental protection needs into new business opportunities. The focus is centered on the feasibility verification of new economic activities, guiding participants up to the establishment of actual new business entities, with a strong emphasis on the social enterprise model.

The main objective is to train managerial and entrepreneurial profiles in the green sector: key figures equipped with “planning, decision-making, and executive power,” capable of developing sustainable technical solutions and guiding companies toward the ecological transition and strategic competitiveness.

Thematic Areas

The educational and applied curriculum is structured into 2 methodological macro-areas, which are further divided into specialized modules focused on operational practicality:

• AREA – Core Competences (120 hours). Development of the soft skills and leadership required for business management. It includes the mandatory and permanent training for RSPP/ASPP (Module A – 30 hours), the enhancement of managerial skills (effective communication, team building, problem-solving, motivation), and digital alignment through office automation tools and the internet.
• AREA – Management and Business Planning (318 hours). The specialized core of the program. It covers the elements of Project Management and an in-depth analysis of environmental legislation (ISO 14001, EMAS). Extensive space is dedicated to the assisted drafting of the Business Plan: from market analysis (SWOT) to the marketing mix, from the study of production cycles from a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and waste/energy management perspective, up to economic-financial planning and bureaucratic requirements.

Course format: between theory, field, and company

The 600 hours of the program have been designed to ensure a perfect balance between the acquisition of business models and a deep practical and professional immersion:

• Classroom and Laboratory Training (400 hours). Theoretical-practical sessions focused on both core competences and the technicalities of environmental management and business planning. The teaching method includes lectures (including videoconferences with national experts), group work, case-study analysis, in-basket simulations, the use of specialized software, and study visits to leading organizations.
• Application Phase and Feasibility Studies (during classroom hours). The operational heart of the training. Students, supported by expert consultants, develop 5 comprehensive feasibility studies. The projects start from the initial idea formulated at the beginning of the course and proceed to the actual economic, financial, and legal verification of the future enterprise.
• Company Internship (200 hours). The final phase of “corporate immersion” and mentoring at companies operating in the environmental sector. Participants experience daily operations first-hand to identify best practices, test their product/service, and verify on the field the commercial, financial, logistical, and marketing mix choices outlined in their business plan.

Key strengths of the program

• Business creation-oriented approach. It does not limit itself to transferring knowledge, but accompanies the student step-by-step from the formulation of the idea to the birth of a new economic entity or a social enterprise.
• Market-driven problem-solving. The feasibility studies and internships are developed based on real problems reported directly by the production sector and citizens during preliminary market research.
• Integration between sustainability and business. It perfectly combines technical-environmental knowledge (waste management, emissions, LCA) with managerial logic and certification systems (ISO 14001, EMAS).