Centro Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri. CLIDA, founded by the Materassi family in 1965, has been the first institute specialized Italian language and culture for foreigners in Florence. From the beginning, it’s been moved by curiosity to experiment and apply new methodologies coherently with the evolving needs of its students. CLIDA holds its classes in a prestigious 19th Century building. With 16 classrooms overlooking Piazza della Repubblica, it consistently seeks and improves new ways to communicate and transmit the essence of the Italian Culture.

Teaching methods: Scuola del Cuoio follows the centuries-old Florentine tradition of placing the master craftsman and the apprentice side-by-side during everyday activities. Students and the master craftsmen work in the workshops located in the brick-vaulted rooms of the historic Novitiate's Courtyard and use hand-made tools that also date back from a half century ago. At the same time, thanks to the cooperation with CLIDA, Language and Culture courses are provided to give our students a deeper experience of the Italian heritage, while computer based applications become part of the Designing and Pattern Making program. In order to complete the overall view on the leather making business, Scuola del Cuoio management will hold Marketing and Management classes and organize visits to local tanneries and fairs during the year.

Our commitment to the Student: Scuola del Cuoio is pleased to renew its social pledge and commitment to the student by offering fellowships and scholarships annually, awarded by administrators of Scuola del Cuoio with the approval of the Provincial Father of the Franciscan Order who review each student's scholarship application. Application deadline for both fellowships and scholarships is April 1st for awards to be granted for the following calendar year. Scuola del Cuoio & CLIDA have submitted their program to the Educational Department of the County of Florence in 2007. The approval process is ongoing and should be approved within the end of the year, thus allowing these Institutes to issue an official Diploma valid to obtain Formative Credits.