2025 Study Group Dates: Sunday 6 April to Friday 11 April 2025.
The cost of the 2025 April Study Group is:
$3950.00AUD – Immediate deposit required $950AUD per person to secure your place.
Click here to download further information.
Click here for registration information.
REAIE Members will receive priority booking for the 2025 April Study Group.
If you are not yet a member of REAIE and are interested in becoming a member please click here for further information.
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The Municipal early childhood programs in Reggio Emilia, Northern Italy, for children aged three months to six years, are internationally acclaimed for the inspirations, challenges, and provocations they provide for all those concerned with the care and education of young children. Founded and developed by educational theorist, Loris Malaguzzi, the schools demonstrate a distinctive and innovative curriculum and pedagogy as well as a method of school organisation which recognises the potential of young children to question, reflect, problem-solve, theorise and experiment.
The schools in Reggio Emilia demonstrate, by making children’s learning visible, that children are capable of devising creative ways of knowing, understanding and making connections and meaning. There is a particular emphasis on the role of the environment, both social and physical, and the cultural, geographic, political, economic and historical experiences of Reggio Emilia are incorporated into learnings. This history, combined with the theories, ideas and practices in the schools are always changing and evolving, meaning that the schools cannot provide a model for practice in Australia. Accordingly, they offer an inspiration for our own thinking and practice.
The Study Program
The study program commences with a meeting of the Australian delegation at the Astoria Hotel on the Sunday prior to the start of the program. The program then continues on the Monday at the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, which is within walking distance from the Astoria Hotel. The program concludes on the Friday evening.
Lectures will be in either English or Italian. An interpreter will be available whenever the Italian language is to be used.
The study program fee will include:
- the organisation of the program by Reggio Children;
- presentations by and meetings with pedagogistas, teachers, administrators and parents;
- visits to Infant Toddler Centres and Preschools of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia only and exclusively if the health conditions in force in Italy at the time of the visit allow it, together with the authorisation decided and issued by the Preschools and Infant-toddler centres – Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia;
- a folder for each participant with information materials concerning the town of Reggio Emilia, its municipal infant toddler-centre and preschool experience and Reggio Children;
- Italian-English consecutive interpreters when required by the program;
- private bus transportation from and to the centers in Reggio Emilia if and as required by the program;
- coffee breaks;
- 5 lunches at PAUSE;
- Two Study Tour Leaders from REAIE will accompany the group;
- Late afternoon ‘get togethers’ will be organised with the Study Tour Leaders and REAIE participants;
- Study Tour Leaders are ‘on call’ throughout the study tour to assist REAIE participants.
Travelling to Italy
Delegates are to make their own travel arrangements. The REAIE recommended travel agent is DQ International Travel Service, please call Damian Quirk 03 9614 4588 or click here to email Damian. Damian is also able to organise travel with other airlines and incorporate other travel arrangements and tours. When deciding how best to book your travel, please consider that booking through a travel agent means that any issues that may arise before or during your travel will have the assistance of an agent. Without a travel agent, you are on your own.
Accommodation
A block booking of accommodation will be made at the Astoria Hotel situated in the centre of the city. To organise accommodation at the conference rate at the Astoria Hotel, bookings must be made through Damian Quirk at DQ International Travel Service. This is regardless of how your flight arrangements have been made.
Insurance
Reggio Children and REAIE require all participants have taken out:
- an individual insurance policy for accidents of any type in which they may occur during the Initiative. Reggio Children will provide for the participants an insurance for damages caused to people or things inside the municipal institutions;
- an individual insurance policy covering medical/hospital and/or hospitalisation expenses, as well as travel, board and accommodation for any additional day spent in Italy, in the event of any general health problems and/or any health emergencies that may arise in situ.
Travel insurance is available from DQ International Travel Service on application.
Optional Extras:
REAIE will organise a bus from Bologna Airport to the Astoria Hotel, Reggio Emilia and from the Astoria Hotel, Reggio Emilia to Bologna Airport for Australian delegates and accompanying persons are also invited to travel on these buses.
There will be an additional charge for these transfers.
Day trips to Cervi Museum, Florence and Venice
- Cultural days in different parts of Italy prior to the commencement of the Study Week, assist the participants with meeting and forming bonds with the REAIE study group, and becoming more familiar with the diversity and history of Italy. REAIE will offer two, one day trips by bus as well as a morning return trip to the Cervi Museum. The Study Group Leaders accompany the participants on these trips.
- Participants will be free to explore the cities of Venice and Florence. Guided tours are not included. Please click on the links for further information about Venice, http://en.turismovenezia.it/ and Florence http://www.firenzeturismo.it/en/
- We strongly recommend these trips as a way of settling into the group and for getting to know one another before the intensive study program begins. Delegates on past study tours have commented that they hadn’t realised how much the quality of their study week would depend on feeling part the group – and how important the bus trips were for getting to know each other.
- Places on the buses are limited and are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
