The Mission
The Institute has been active in the restoration sector since 1978 both as a centre for the education, specialization and professional up-dating, as well as a restoration and consulting centre for public and private entities. With our thirty years experience and the more than 1200 activated courses (and in the specific field of restoration more than 12000 restoration treatments), the Institute has earned national and international recognition for "excellence in the field", able to offer its students a professionalism that satisfies the demands of a working environment as well as a continuous up to date service on the latest modern technologies and treatment philosophies. The mission of the Institute is to contribute – by either acting directly or through the training of professionals – to the preservation of Humanity’s historical and artistic heritage and at the same time keeping alive those creative and artistic skills which allow mankind to freely express and recreate himself.

All courses are based on professional and practical teachings
The Institute has been active in the organization of annual, biennial and triennial restoration courses since 1978. These courses were always based on a strong accent on the practical aspect of the teachings. From coming academic year 2009-2010, due to the new European and Regional provisions, all the restoration courses of the Institute will be changed in Biennial courses. Despite to the more theoretical courses organised by various Italian and foreign Universities and Institutions, our courses will be characterised by a great importance which will be done to the practical activities: all the people who wants to learn “the art to give life to art”, directly from Florentine restorers knowledge in modern restoration laboratories, will find in our Institute premises the ideal place. This choice was awarding for our 6.000 former graduated Palazzo Spinelli students who are always appreciated for their skills and practical abilities reached with hundreds of hours of practical exercitations on original manufacts, coming from churches and museums, which they restored under the supervision of their teachers and of the Italian Superintendences.

Admission to academic courses and available places
The admission to the courses is accepted if the applicant is in possession of a secondary school certification and of clear motivation about the course. Those possessing other certificates and study titles of the sector or professional experience, may equally be admitted directly to the second year. All the students who want to follow the biennial courses must send by e-mail their application, enclosing a letter of motivation and a detailed curriculum containing the indication of the applicant study titles.
The Direction will evaluate the application forms together with the evaluation of the credits which will be done by the Credits Examiner Office.
The evaluation of the credits could give to the applicant a reduction of the didactic course and of the tuition fees. The Institute, after the credits examination, will communicate to the applicant the admission to the course, the biennial study plan ad the relative individual costs.
Each course is reserved to a limited number of participants, the first 35 in the list. The applicants who cannot apply for the academic courses, could follow one or more Introductory Courses. Those possessing a pass certificate released by Palazzo Spinelli are naturally admitted directly and without further formalities to a third year of specialization studies (Master with a duration of 1000 hours).

Diploma and Certifications
The acquired competencies are certified first of all by the Institute, which with a Diploma certifies the obtained professional qualification. further certification is issued by Regione Toscana after the passing of an examination with the presence of a Regional commission.
Professional qualification degree being issued by a Region delegate by the Italian State, are recognised by Italian Ministry of Culture and Italian Ministry of Welfare and it is valid on the whole national territory; it is also valid in the Countries belonging to the European Union (CEE Directives: 89/48 of 21th December 1988, 92/51 of 18th June 1992, 319/94 of 13th December 1994, 1999/42 of 7th June 1999 (see http://www.europa.int.eu). The obtained diploma is valid to participate to open competitions in the field of restoration (admission with biennial title) and to work freely and privately as a restorer. Each acquired competence will be certified.

The Regional system for the training courses and for the aknowledgment of the courses
According to the Regional Law n. 845 of 21st 12 1978, Regione Toscana organised the regional vocational training by means of a series of rules and provisions based on the European provisions and on the agreements with the Italian state. Our Institute is part of the Regional training system which recognised its courses from 1980 (Act n. 1881 of 12th.06.1980 and subsequent until the current Act n. 3418 of 12th September 2008. The Institute is accredited by the Regione Toscana under Law nr. 1722 of the 25th day of the month of March 2003. Accreditation code nr. 545. Certified ISO 9001:2000 IMQ/CSQ 9175.IPAR of the 16th day of the month of May 2005.
More detailed information on the new European training system, on the Regional competences certification system and on the recently approved professional profiles are available on Regione Toscana web site: http://www.rete.toscana.it

Brief History of the Institute
All was born in September 1976...(>>>)