The main providers of adult education are the Provincial centres for adult education (Centri provinciali per l’istruzione degli adulti – CPIAs) and the upper secondary schools that organise second-level courses. CPIAs are, as well as upper secondary schools to which they refer to, public institutions that receive public funds.

CPIAs (130 institutes in 2018) provide educational offer for adults and young adults. They are autonomous educational institutions with specific teaching and organisation structures and are organised in territorial service networks, generally at provincial level, (with a headquarter and various providers, among which detention structures). CPIAs have as much autonomy as mainstream schools; therefore, they have their own premises, their own staff, collegiate governing bodies and their organisation and teaching.