InvestEU: Lombardy Region and CDP agreement for school buildings

InvestEU: Lombardy Region and CDP agreement for school buildings

The two-year collaboration envisages advisory services provided by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti to the regional administration for the purpose of building innovative educational infrastructure in the region
 

Promote school building renovation programmes and support the construction of new educational facilities in the local area. These are the objectives of the memorandum of understanding signed by the Lombardy Region and Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.

The two-year partnership established between the regional administration and CDP aims to provide the student population in the area with innovative infrastructure that guarantees the integration of planning and teaching, openness to the surrounding community and sustainability. A goal that can be achieved thanks to the advisory service provided by CDP and financed by the European Union under the InvestEU Programme and by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti itself.

Implementing the Regional Sustainable Development Programme ("PRSS") for the 12th Legislature, the Lombardy Region intends to identify and develop projects for the improvement of school buildings and the construction of innovative schools in accordance with Strategic Objective 3.1.3 "Strengthening school infrastructure, including digital" of that multi-year programme. Indeed, the objective is to use the “Spazio alla Scuola” (“Learning Spaces”) call for tenders to expand educational opportunities with the construction of 12 new educational complexes in as many locations in the region for a total investment worth approximately 109.5 million euros,1 drawing from a contribution of the regional government of approximately 88.5 million euros.2

In its role as Advisory Partner of the European Commission, CDP will offer the regional administration its support in the definition of a system for monitoring the advancement of these programmes through the analysis and processing of data on the progress of the activities implemented by the regional government. Moreover, Cassa will support the institution in assessing the state of repair of the school building stock and the needs in its area of responsibility, in drawing up the new three-year regional planning through the definition of strategic priorities, and in identifying experimental pilot projects within the public-private partnership.

Simona Tironi, Councillor for Education, Training and Labour of the Lombardy Region, underscored that "Investing in school construction means building the future of our communities by providing modern, safe and sustainable learning environments for students. Thanks to the collaboration with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti and the support of the InvestEU programme, the Lombardy Region is taking a decisive step towards building educational infrastructure that is up to contemporary challenges. The projects represent more than just a construction initiative, but a vision: placing education at the heart of development and social cohesion. Educational innovation also requires learning spaces, and our children deserve the best to grow, learn and build tomorrow".

Maria Elena Perretti, Advisory Manager at CDP, remarked: “Thanks to the support of the InvestEU programme, the fruitful collaboration with the Lombardy Region allows us to work alongside the administration in implementing a programme of great importance for the region. Schools that aren’t only new but also innovative, designed to provide education adapted to the current needs of children and to be at the centre of urban development. Together with the regional government and with the contribution of CDP's Competence Centre for Social Infrastructure, we will also work to assess the overall state of the school building stock and identify development vectors for investments in the coming years. This is a valuable opportunity for CDP, solidifying its commitment to promoting the sustainable development of the country, generating tangible benefits for its citizens and communities”.

1 Total eligible cost related to the 12 eligible ongoing projects.

2 For the 12 eligible ongoing projects.