The Italian Shipping Academy was founded in 2005 with the aim of providing higher education and training in the maritime sector, and was recognized as an ITS Foundation in 2011 under the name "Fondazione Istituto tecnico superiore per la mobilità sostenibile – Settori trasporti marittimi e pesca".
It is a public institution that issues qualifications from the Ministry of Education, University and Research within the framework of non-university tertiary education, carrying out its activities through public and private funding on a non-profit basis.
The Academy's mission is to provide specialized training targeted at highly professional and technological careers, based on the needs of businesses in the relevant sectors and particularly in the strategic areas of maritime and logistics.
Collaboration with the business community helps ensure high employment rates, with over 80% of course participants finding employment.
The Academy also carries out other activities to support companies in the maritime cluster, in the areas of training, design, studies, and research, with funding from both public and private sources.
In 2008, the Academy’s International Section was established through IMSSEA (International Maritime, Safety, Security & Environment Academy), pursuant to a bilateral agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the IMO in London.
In 2016, the new operational headquarters in Arenzano (Genoa) opened, followed by the one in Lavagna (Genoa) in 2017. The two locations are the first facilities in Italy dedicated exclusively to training professional senior technicians in onboard hospitality and specialists in guest services on cruise ships and passenger vessels.
