The training offered by the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE), which from year to year is growing in acclaim and quality, is a strategic area for the promotion of Italian industries in international markets. It has an abundant and varied curriculum aimed at various social categories, including managers and entrepreneurs, as well as public officials, from countries chosen on a basis of common strategic visions, similar cultural characteristics and collaboration agreements.

38 events were organised in 2009 alone: 12 of high significance at an international level, 21 seminars on the topic of commerce and the New Economy and two partnership projects between foreign and Italian companies. The offer is aimed primarily at young foreign graduates, on the basis of agreements made by ICE and the Italian Union of Chambers of Commerce with the Italian Foreign Ministry that allow students from other countries to complete their education with masters degrees in some of the best Italian universities. As a result, the ICE meetings in 2009 were attended by students from all over the world: Central Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Macedonia and Montenegro), South America (Chile, Venezuela, Brazil and Uruguay), the USA, Australia, Asia (India, China and Vietnam) and also the Mediterranean area (Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria and Libya).

One of the most important activities this year has been the organisation of a training course for 130 Egyptian managers and public officials who belong to local institutions and are involved in the internationalisation process for small and medium enterprises. The first phase of teaching, in the city of Cairo, began in April and will continue until July. The course consists of a total of seven modules and covers subjects such as Italian production models, marketing, technological innovation, industrial cooperation, the food market and technological applications. The second part will start in October, on the other side of the Mediterranean this time, with a study holiday in Italy. During their stay in Italy, the members of the delegations will visit companies in their field of interest, production districts and consortia, polytechnics and research centres, to form the best possible idea of how the Italian production process operates and what synergies can be created with Egypt.

In the year that has just finished, a total of 1,389 people enrolled in the courses organised by the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, with a total of 2,789 teaching hours. The quality and competence of the teaching staff ensured the growing satisfaction of those in attendance and created the right conditions for new business opportunities. The final phase of the course will recommence with new energy this autumn, but the process will not end there - the calendar is full of events that open up new and interesting perspectives for the coming year.