The primary active Jesuit school in Palermo, Sicily is the Gonzaga Campus (formerly known as the Istituto Gonzaga or Centro Educativo Ignaziano).
Gonzaga Campus (Centro Educativo Ignaziano)
• Location: Via Piersanti Mattarella, 38-42, 90141 Palermo PA, Italy • Founded: 1919 by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) • Ages Served: From early childhood (nursery/asilo nido at 18 months) through high school graduation (K-13 / ages 18). • Programs Offered: • Italian National Curriculum: Liceo Classico, Liceo Scientifico, Liceo Sportivo, Liceo STEAM, and Scienze Umane. • International School Palermo (ISP): Full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum (PYP, MYP, and DP) with instruction in English. • Key Facilities: Includes modern science and tech labs, an extensive sports complex (Polisportiva Gonzaga), and the Ancient Book Fund (Fondo Librario Antico) housing thousands of historic volumes.
Gonzaga Institute, Palermo (now known as Gonzaga Campus), is a private Catholic primary and secondary school located in Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1919, the campus provides education for students from 18 months to 18 years, including an Italian curriculum and a certified International School.
Istituto Gonzaga was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1919. In 1996, it underwent a major reorganization by merging with the neighboring female institute, the Ancelle del Sacro Cuore (Handmaids of the Sacred Heart). This partnership created the Centro Educativo Ignaziano (CEI), which served as a unified coeducational project for nearly two decades.
In 2016, the collaboration concluded as the Ancelle del Sacro Cuore withdrew from the association. The school subsequently reverted to the exclusive management of the Jesuits and was rebranded as Gonzaga Campus. This transition involved a complete overhaul of the school's governance to align with the national Jesuit educational network, the Fondazione Gesuiti Educazione.
The Gonzaga Campus is a member of the Fondazione Gesuiti Educazione, the network coordinating Jesuit schools across Italy and Albania. The institution operates as a multifunctional educational hub in Palermo, offering several distinct academic pathways from early childhood to university preparation:
Italian School: Provides traditional Italian educational cycles including the Primary education in Italy (Scuola Primaria), Lower secondary education in Italy (Scuola Secondaria di Primo Grado), and high school specializations in Liceo Classico and Liceo Scientifico. International School Palermo (ISP): Founded in 2008, it is the only school in the region to offer the full International Baccalaureate (IB) continuum, including the Primary Years, Middle Years, and Diploma Programme. The IB Diploma is recognized by the Italian Ministry of Education as equivalent to the national high school diploma for university admission. STEM and Innovation: Building on a program introduced in 2017 in collaboration with research centers, the school has integrated STEM curricula to enhance scientific education through hands-on laboratory work. Polisportiva Gonzaga: The campus includes extensive sports facilities, including a swimming pool, gymnasium, and courts for tennis, football, and gymnastics, serving both students and the local community. The campus emphasizes an "open and plural" educational model, integrating social justice initiatives and ecological awareness into its pedagogical framework.
