Migrant adult education policy in Italy: between integration and regulation

This study examines Italy’s adult migrant education policy by analysing its objectives, target groups, and institutional opportunities as articulated in official policy documents. Adopting an explanatory case study design, the research investigates how Italy’s adult education system – particularly the Provincial Centres for Adult Education (CPIAs) – has evolved in response to changing migration dynamics. Six key policy documents were purposely selected for analysis, including three decrees regulating the CPIA system and three legislative acts addressing migration and security. Drawing on qualitative content analysis, the study identifies how Italy’s policy framework has been shaped by the Security Package and the Integration Agreement, both of which link the renewal of residence permits to migrants’ participation in language and citizenship education. The findings indicate that these policy measures have played a significant role in the structural reconfiguration of adult education in Italy, positioning CPIAs as instruments of both integration and control. Furthermore, the analysis situates the Italian case within a broader European shift from multicultural and inclusion-oriented approaches towards more conditional, security-focused integration policies. The study concludes by advocating for more flexible, supportive, and rights-based models of adult education that foster integration while safeguarding migrants’ educational rights.