FinKIT brings together players with different backgrounds, missions and social focus: research centres, no profit foundations, a national training association, a higher education establishment.
All partners have a sound experience in tackling the broad issue of EFL at academic level, as well as applied research (and pilot projects), and through training/coaching actions with vulnerable groups. All have carried out EU projects, also EFL related.
Some partners have already worked together at local or international level.
CeRP-Collegio Carlo Alberto (leading partner)
Founded in 1999 as a joint project of the University of Turin and the Compagnia di San Paolo (an Italian foundation), CeRP is the first research center in Italy (and one of the first in Europe) with a specific focus on households’ savings, pension economics, population aging and financial literacy. Since September 2006 the Center is affiliated, as a research unit, to the Collegio Carlo Alberto, a research hub for Economics and Social Sciences in general, again jointly established by the University of Turin and the Compagnia di San Paolo.
The mission of CeRP is to investigate the consequences of population aging, with an emphasis on factors affecting savings for old age, retirement and, in general, the welfare of the elderly. Theoretical and applied policy-oriented research play an approximately equal role in the activities of the center.
CeRP is (and has been since the beginning, except for the year and the half in which she served as Minister of Labor in the Monti Government) coordinated by Elsa Fornero, professor of Economics at the University of Turin, who was the initial creator of the Center. The Scientific Committee is composed of high standing academics from European universities and American research institutions. The staff includes junior and senior research fellows as well as visiting fellows from other institutions.
Research is conducted both at the micro and at the macro level, and a special attention is devoted to policy aspects. The center aims at being a reference point for all institutions dealing with pension issues, both under an economic and a financial perspective. Over the years CeRP has earned a solid international reputation, also thanks to its participation in European research networks and to its international annual conferences
CeRP assigns a primary role to the dissemination of the research output, through conferences, seminars, publications and contributions to the debate on pension issues. CeRP has published several volumes and produces a Working Paper Series.
Confederación Española de Centros de Enseñanza - CECE
The Spanish Confederation of Education and Training Centres (Confederación Española de Centros de Enseñanza - CECE) is a non-profit employers and professionals organization founded in 1977. It represents a wide educational sector in Spain from nursery school to university level. It has more than 5.000 Education and Training centers, 74.610 teachers and 1.175.650 students.
CECE institutional roles are the negotiation of the collective agreements for this sector, the representation of this sector in the collegiate boards with educational participation, institutional presence in the Spanish Employers Organization (CEOE) and in some international organizations, as well as the relationship and contacts with Education Public Authorities. CECE is member of the international organizations: EFVET (European Forum for Technical and Vocational Education and Training), ESHA (European School Headmaster Association) and ECNAIS (European Council of National Associations of Independent Schools).
CECE´s educational profile has widened with the constitution of a non-profit foundation (Fundación Ángel Martínez Fuertes - AMF) in 1996 that focuses its activities on social care and social inclusion through the training of unemployed people, people over 45, women, disabled people, and immigrants. The foundation uses education as a tool to help people to be more in line with the requests from the labor market. The foundation is very active in proposing a lifelong learning approach particularly to women and middle-aged jobless people.
Observatoire de l'Epargne Européenne (OEE)
The Observatoire de l'Epargne Européenne (OEE) is a non-profit association presided by Jacques de Larosière, Honorary Governor of the Banque de France, former Director General of the IMF, former President of EBRD and member of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques. Jacques de Larosière recently played a decisive role in reforming European financial authorities following the report of the high-level group on financial supervision in the EU, which is chaired by Jacques de Larosière.
The role savings play with regard to growth is frequently underestimated. OEE members believe that it's important to better understand such determinants in addition to economic issues related to savings at a European level, since European economies are closely interrelated, particularly within the Euro zone. In order to enhance our understanding, it is necessary to harmonise the approaches and statistical methods applied by differing European countries in addition to increasing the number of studies that examine the behaviour of savers, the financial products available to them as well as regulation and taxation.
Since its creation in 1999, the OEE has conducted or supported more than 50 studies on savings, including those that are descriptive or theoretical. When selecting applications following our annual call for papers, our criterion demands that the study covers at least three European countries.
The OEE's aim is not to substitute already existing national and international institutions that collect information on savings, but rather to encourage interaction between such institutions and statisticians, researchers and professionals.
Website: www.oee.fr
Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal (IPS)
The Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, Portugal (Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal IPS) is a public institution of higher education, created in 1979, that comprises five Higher Education Schools (Setúbal School of Technology, School of Education, School of Business Administration, Barreiro School of Technology, School of Health Care), a Students’ Welfare Unit and a number of functional units and central services. Situated in the Greater Lisbon Metropolitan Area, the region of Setúbal is home to strong enterprises in such fields as, for example, paper and motorcar industries, and holds a highly important geostrategic position, since it is a gateway to Europe. Furthermore, Setúbal region, with its varied landscape composed of sea and mountains, including a large protected area with an application in progress to UNESCO World Heritage, is a tourist destination for both Portuguese and foreigners. IPS offers a wide range of 1st cycle and 2nd cycle Bologna degrees, in the areas of its five Schools, such as Education, Media, Sport, Animation and Socio-Cultural Intervention, Portuguese Sign Language, different areas of Engineering, Business Administration and Health Care, besides post-secondary specialization technological courses (CTeSP) and post-graduation diplomas. Research activities have become more and more relevant, with over a hundred projects being developed in a number of areas of knowledge in the recent years. Similarly, commitment with entrepreneurship has provided support to 4 spin-offs from research conducted in the IPS. IPS is internationally well connected with over a hundred cooperation agreements in Europe and around twenty agreements with Latin-American institutions, which provide productive frameworks for student and staff mobility.
Website: www.ips.pt
Ufficio Pio - Compagnia di San Paolo
Founded in Torino in 1595, Ufficio Pio is an independent operating body of Compagnia di San Paolo (banking foundation). It represents a reference point for the metropolitan area of Torino (and generally for the whole Piedmont Region) in addressing – through the implementation of specific programmes and the allocation of support to individuals and households – the issues of poverty, social exclusion and social vulnerability.
Ufficio Pio works closely together with Compagnia di San Paolo and its other operating bodies, local stakeholders and key institutional players (e.g. Turin Municipality) in order to redefine the new local welfare system 2.0. Welfare 2.0 goes beyond a vertical and purely subsidy-focused approach by introducing the horizontal principle of subsidiarity. In the new welfare all actors invest resources to support individuals - set at the centre of the planning & intervention - with the aim of strengthening their abilities and their social networks and the possibility to give back to the community what they have received (Social Dividend).
Ufficio Pio main macro areas are three: Measures against poverty, Measures of Poverty prevention and Measures of Inclusion and social reinstatement.
Since its foundation, Ufficio Pio has strongly relied on its volunteer community (about 200 members). In general, volunteers act as: territorial antennas; links between beneficiaries and Ufficio Pio; monitors of the financial contribution usage; interpreters of social phenomena, informal counselors.
Moreover, Ufficio Pio employs 35 people, for the most part young and qualified. Professionals are coming from different backgrounds (e.g. social sciences, social services, communication, …) and they are involved mostly in the different direct projects of Ufficio Pio.
Website: www.ufficiopio.it
Museo del Risparmio (local partner)
Museo del Risparmio (MdR) was created in May 2012, with the mission of helping people understand how they can efficiently use their financial resources. It was set up and it is currently managed thanks to the economic support of Intesa Sanpaolo, one of the largest Italian banking groups.
The Museum was conceived as a unique, innovative and entertaining place to bring the general public closer to complex topics such as saving and investment. It is entirely based on audio-visual and interactive materials (videos, documentaries, games, movie clips,..) and it makes extensive use of cutting-edge technologies. The contents are designed for a large range of visitors: from children and teenagers to adults and seniors. An international scientific committee made up of leading academic personalities in the field of financial literacy ensures the contents’ adequacy and promotes the initiatives of the Museum around the world.
Website: www.museodelrisparmio.it