Central Mountaineering and Climbing School

The Central Mountaineering and Climbing School (S.C.A.) was formed according to the Charter and General Regulations of the Club Alpino Italiano and of those of the Commissione Nazionale Scuole di Alpinismo, Sci-Alpinismo e Arrampicata Libera [National Commission for Mountaineering, Alpine Ski Touring and Free Climbing] (C.N.S.A.SA). Its purpose is to provide the National Commission with technical support for teaching mountaineering and free climbing, training and refresher courses for the corresponding instructors at all levels, relations with similar national or international organizations, solving specific technical problems connected with the practice of mountaineering and climbing and experimenting materials and techniques for teaching purposes.

In detail, the School:

a) organizes Training and Refresher Courses for National Mountaineering and Free Climbing Instructors and provides directors for the same;

b) holds Training and Refresher Courses for Mountaineering and Free Climbing Instructors and provides directors for the same; such courses are organized by Local Technical Teams, if and where they exist;

c) provides the technical materials required to prepare educational programmes for the Mountaineering and Free Climbing Courses. To do this, the School prepares technical/educational handbooks, audiovisual aids, etc., if necessary with the help of outside experts or specialized bodies;
 

d) is a benchmark for the Regional Schools and provides Directors for them;
 

e) in cooperation with the Central Commission for Techniques and Materials and with other bodies or manufacturers, the School conducts studies and tests on techniques, materials, equipment, teaching methods, the physical and psycho-physical characteristics of the practice of mountaineering and free climbing, rescue and self-rescue systems, etc. to the extent to which these are of interest for training and updating instructors and for running mountaineering and free climbing courses;
 

f) supports the National Commission in the context of relations with mountaineering associations of other countries, national and international sports associations, public and private bodies, industry, schools, research institutes, etc., providing advice and technical support as well as its own members for participation in commissions, representations, delegations and other technical bodies;
 

g) performs tasks assigned to it by the National Commission;

h) participates, with its own members, in events and meetings in observance of CAI guidelines and regulations.

At the moment the School has approximately 40 national instructors in the two disciplines of mountaineering and free climbing. Admission to the School is subject to the submission of a detailed curriculum of both personal and educational activities, which also has to be approved by the competent Regional Technical Body and/or Regional School. The School assesses the curriculum and, if approved, the candidate’s admission is proposed to the National Commission.
 

The Director of the School, who is also a member of the teaching staff, is elected by the School itself and appointed by the National Commission. The Director serves a three-year term of office and can be re-elected once.

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