How is continuing education and upskilling organised in San Marino?

Several bodies provide continuing education in San Marino, including CFP, ULPA, DGFP, UNIRSM, the Authority Sanitaria, Istituti Culturali and employers. There is no single national portal or complete uniform course catalogue covering all providers.

What support can an unemployed person receive for continuing education and upskilling in San Marino?

A person registered on the Liste di Avviamento al Lavoro who has been unemployed for at least one month or receives Ammortizzatori Sociali can receive guidance and needs assessment from ULPA. After at least two months without work, ULPA must offer a needs-related training opportunity, and participation is required to retain list status.

When can San Marino reimburse external training costs for continuing education and upskilling?

If no suitable CFP course is available, ULPA may approve reimbursement for external training. The application must be submitted before the course starts, the provider must be recognised and the reimbursement remains subject to the applicable cost ceiling.

What does professional retraining through the Centro di Formazione Professionale involve in San Marino?

CFP seconda formazione is available to employed and unemployed adults and can support new skills, updating, qualification, specialisation or reintegration. Formats include theory, practical work, laboratories, company placements and support for employment or self-employment.

Upskilling in San Marino

Q: Which continuing education and upskilling duties apply to recognised health professionals in San Marino?

Recognised health and social-health professions follow the ECM system after their diploma, degree or specialisation. For 2026 to 2028, the requirement is 70 credits: 20 in 2026, 25 in 2027 and 25 in 2028, and non-compliance is treated as a disciplinary violation.

Q: Does completing continuing education and upskilling in San Marino automatically create a qualification or job entitlement?

No general automatic equivalence or job placement follows from completing a course. The effect of an Attestazione, certificate, qualification, CFU, ECM credits or professional-profile certificate depends on the specific course, profession and responsible authority.

Continuing education in San Marino updates, deepens or broadens skills after or alongside initial education and work. Formal courses, professional retraining, health-sector credits, university-level study and informal learning serve different purposes and lead to different certificates or recognition. Access, costs and duties depend on the provider, employment status, profession and funding arrangement.

Tip

Choose the San Marino continuing education option by the result you need: a CFP course for job-related skills or retraining, UNIRSM for academic credits, ECM activity for a recognised health profession, or informal learning when no formal certificate is needed. Check eligibility, recognition, total cost and deadlines with the responsible provider before enrolling. Do not assume that a certificate creates automatic equivalence, a job entitlement or a general right to funding.

byElena&Matteo

San Marino uses several local terms for continuing education, including formazione continua, formazione sul lavoro, seconda formazione, alta formazione and educazione permanente. The system is institutionally divided rather than managed through one national course portal. The Centro di Formazione Professionale (CFP) provides adult professional training, while the Ufficio per il Lavoro e le Politiche Attive (ULPA) advises jobseekers, prepares profiles and assesses training needs. The annual Piano Annuale di Intervento (PAI) sets priorities according to labour-market needs, so available courses and dates change with the plan, teaching regulations and available resources. Course registration is generally handled digitally through IOL, and each active offer needs to be checked with the responsible provider. For a person registered on the Liste di Avviamento al Lavoro, access to support depends on registration status, unemployment duration and active conduct. A person who has been without work for at least one month or receives Ammortizzatori Sociali can qualify for relevant support. After at least two months without work, ULPA must present a training offer related to identified needs, and participation is required to retain list status. A refusal of an unsuitable job can be possible during a course when the course conditions are being fulfilled. If no suitable CFP course exists, ULPA may approve reimbursement of external training costs, but the application must be submitted before the course begins, the provider must be recognised and the applicable cost ceiling must be respected. CFP seconda formazione is available to employed and unemployed adults. It can provide new skills, updating, qualification, specialisation and support for reintegration into work. Courses may combine theory, practical work, laboratories, a placement in a company and support for employment or self-employment. CFP also provides certificates for Profili di Ruolo (PDR) in the Settore Pubblico Allargato, including profiles up to the fourth level. Examples in 2026 include Operatore del Verde and the technical capability certificate for an armaiolo. The armaiolo course required digital pre-registration through IOL, with the listed 2026 application period from 27 March to 31 August. CFP applications include an electronic diritto di pratica of €30 and a course-specific contributory charge; course fees are not published as one uniform amount. On request, the provider can issue a participation certificate, course certificate or qualification certificate. Companies can use training for business development, staff updating or restructuring measures. For CIG causa 3, CFP must issue a prior assessment for professional updating. An IGR tax credit can cover 25% of the cost of training that is not legally required, up to €5,000 per year and for a maximum of two years within a four-year period. Strategic shortage sectors can qualify for up to 40%. The company must prepare a Piano Formativo in advance, obtain the required CFP attestation and submit a final report. Missing coherence or failing to follow the approved plan can remove the tax benefit. Public-sector employees in the Settore Pubblico Allargato follow the annual training plan prepared by the Direzione Generale della Funzione Pubblica (DGFP). The 2025–2026 plan includes a mixture of classroom and video instruction, modular courses, final examinations and curriculum tracking. Learning results form part of the annual performance assessment and can affect career progression. A serious breach of training duties can also lead to disciplinary measures. Recognised health and social-health professions follow Educazione Continua in Medicina (ECM) after their diploma, degree or specialisation. For 2026 to 2028, the requirement is 70 credits: 20 in 2026, 25 in 2027 and 25 in 2028, with a maximum of 20 credits counted for one event. A catch-up period for earlier missing credits runs until 30 June 2026. Non-compliance is treated as a disciplinary violation. Locally accredited courses are recorded automatically, while foreign courses, publications, research, tutoring and self-directed learning are handled through the Authority Sanitaria and IOL. Recognised formats include classroom, distance, workplace-based and blended learning, and providers require accreditation by the Authority Sanitaria. The University of the Republic of San Marino (UNIRSM) offers Corsi singoli for recurring or permanent education. A student may normally obtain up to 40 CFU within one degree programme over one or more academic years, subject to the admission requirements of the relevant academic pathway. An examination leads to a certificate or CFU. For 2026/27, the published application windows are 13 July to 14 September 2026 for the first semester and 15 September 2026 to 15 February 2027 for the second semester. The listed contribution is €300 for a Laurea course and €400 for a Laurea magistrale course. UNIRSM also offers alta formazione, Master, perfezionamento and specialisation courses, such as Certificatori Energetici with 72 hours, Comunicazione sanitaria with 50 hours and Infermieristica pediatrica with 60 hours. These programmes support professional updating and do not constitute ordinary first-degree study. A jobseeker registered on the employment list who has been unemployed for at least two months or receives social benefits may qualify for a Prestito d'onore for alta formazione abroad. The loan finances documented enrolment costs. Repayment takes place in five annual instalments after the borrower obtains indefinite employment with a San Marino company. If the person remains outside San Marino or does not show active conduct, repayment is due within twelve months. The study must be a postgraduate perfection course, a first- or second-level Master or a specialisation programme for degree holders, normally requiring at least 120 hours per year or 60 CFU. Formal study is not the only option. Istituti Culturali and the Biblioteca di Stato provide public educazione permanente through library advice, specialist research, document delivery and cultural or subject-based events. These activities can support self-directed learning but do not automatically produce a professional qualification. Other outcomes include an Attestazione, certificate, qualification, CFU, ECM credits or a certificate enabling access to a PDR. The legal or professional effect depends on the course, occupation and responsible authority. San Marino does not provide a general automatic equivalence between all forms of continuing education, and the reviewed sources do not establish a general individual entitlement to continuing education across all sectors.