The N. Machiavelli Institute of Higher Education, situated in the historic city of Lucca, traces its origins to 1785, when it was established as the Liceo Università Pio Istituto San Frediano. As the oldest secondary school in the province of Lucca and among the most longstanding institues in Italy, the Pio Instituto San Frediano has continuously evolved to reflect cultural and political transformations of the region. Following the annexation of the Grand Duchy to the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, the University-Lyceum transitioned into the Machiavelli Classical Lyceum. In 1998, it was officially restructured as the N. Machiavelli Institute of Higher Education through the the merger of the Machiavelli Classical Lyceum with the Istituto Magistrale L.A. Paladini, formally founded by the 1923 Decree.
Today, the N. Machiavelli Institute of Higher Education encompasses three educational branches: the N. Machiavelli Liceo Classico, the the L.A. Paladini Liceo delle Scienze Umane, and the M.Civitali professional institute. This diverse educational offering reflects the Institute’s commitment to honoring its legacy while meeting contemporary educational needs.
The Machiavelli Institute is actively engaged in fostering European civic education and international collaboration. As a participant in the EU Jean Monnet Project “European Values”, the Institute cooperates with other high schools and with the University eCampus in the construction of a path on European civic education. The aim is to promote training, communication, knowledge, critical thinking and debate on European institutions and citizenship.
Within the project, a series of impactful initiatives are underway to deepen students’ understanding of European identity and to learn how to communicate about the European Union topics thanks to the media partnership with Euractiv Italy. These initiatives aim to cultivate active and informed citizenship among high school students.
The integrated approach of the N. Machiavelli Institute – combining tradition, innovation, and European cooperation – enables the Institute to stand as a model of academic excellence, forward-looking educational strategy and civic engagement, while continuing to embrace its rich historical roots.
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