IREF - Institute of Educational and Training Research

What IREF - Institute of Educational and Training Research does

IREF (Istituto di Ricerche Educative e Formative) is a non-profit social research institute founded in 1968 in Rome, Italy, by ACLI (Associazioni Cristiane dei Lavoratori Italiani), the national association of Christian workers. It operates as the dedicated research arm of the ACLI system, conducting commissioned social research, evaluation, project design, and training services at local, national, and European levels. Its core products span the full research cycle: scenario analysis and literature reviews, statistical studies with data dashboards and spatial analysis, web-based population surveys with reasoned-choice sampling, qualitative investigations (expert interviews, focus groups, diaries, biographical interviews), case studies and organizational ethnographies, and a dedicated social impact assessment and reporting service tailored for non-profits, public administrations, and enterprises. The organization also publishes the "Le ricerche delle ACLI" book series in partnership with Rubbettino Editore, covering topics such as youth and labor, politics and civil society, territorial economic transitions, and migrations. Underlying methodology is human-expert-driven, combining quantitative statistical approaches with qualitative and ethnographic methods; no AI/ML or proprietary technology platform is documented.

IREF generates revenue through three streams: commissioned research services for clients across the third sector, public administrations, and enterprises (delivered via direct engagement, tenders, and project proposals); publication sales through the Rubbettino Editore partnership; and government/European grants, including Italian state aid under EU regulation 651/2014 for interprofessional training funds and de minimis aid. Its go-to-market is predominantly relationship-driven and community-led, anchored by the ACLI network for referrals and project origination, complemented by academic credibility from a Scientific Committee that includes senior academics from Sciences Po, Luiss Guido Carli, Università di Roma Tre, Università di Bologna, and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Pricing is quote-based and project-tailored, with no public pricing disclosed. The institute operates with a small core staff of approximately 12 people, including researchers, a director, and administration, and is headquartered at Via E. Bezzi 23-25 in Rome.

Name

IREF - Institute of Educational and Training Research

Legal name

ISTITUTO DI RICERCHE EDUCATIVE E FORMATIVE - IREF

Website

https://irefricerche.acli.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IREF is a Rome-based non-profit social research institute founded in 1968 by ACLI, providing commissioned research, evaluation, project design, and training services to third-sector organizations, public administrations, and enterprises across Italy and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Administration & Compliance (Sponsored Programs, IRB/REB) (EDADAKAH)

Keywords

• Social research services
• Impact evaluation
• Qualitative research
• Statistical analysis
• Organizational ethnography

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Services: IREF generates revenue through commissioned research projects for various clients including the ACLI system, public administrations, third sector organizations, and enterprises. Services include scenario analysis, statistical studies, population surveys, qualitative investigations, and organizational ethnographies.
2. Publications: The institute publishes books through their 'Le ricerche delle ACLI' series (published by Rubbettino Editore), generating revenue from book sales.
3. European and National Funding: IREF receives state aid and funding through various Italian and European programs, including grants from regional authorities in Lazio for training and professional development.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IREF is a non-profit social research institute that delivers scenario analysis and literature reviews, statistical studies with dashboards, population surveys, qualitative investigations, and case studies with organizational ethnographies. It complements these research services with reporting and social impact assessment for third-sector organizations, public administrations, and enterprises, and disseminates findings through the 'Le ricerche delle ACLI' publication series.

Product overview

IREF (Istituto di Ricerche Educative e Formative) is a social research institute founded in 1968 by the ACLI (Associazioni Cristiane dei Lavoratori Italiani). The organization offers a comprehensive suite of research services including scenario analysis and literature reviews, statistical studies with data dashboards, population surveys, qualitative investigations, and case studies with organizational ethnographies. These core research services are complemented by evaluation and social impact reporting capabilities for organizations, third-sector entities, and public administrations. IREF also produces the 'Le ricerche delle ACLI' publication series, documenting social research findings in areas such as youth and labor, politics and civil society, territories and economic transitions, and migrations. The organization conducts research across local, national, and European contexts, with particular expertise in Italian social phenomena.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Analisi di scenario e sullo stato dell'arte (Scenario Analysis and State-of-the-Art Reviews)

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Rubbettino EditorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIREF publishes books through a partnership with Rubbettino Editore. Their 'Le ricerche delle ACLI' publication series is distributed by this publisher. The books cover social research on Italian society, labor markets, youth, migrations, and community development.
• ACLI (Associazioni Cristiane dei Lavoratori Italiani)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIREF was founded by ACLI in 1968 and operates as their research institute. ACLI provides institutional support, network access, and research mandates. IREF in turn provides research capabilities and cultural elaboration for the ACLI system. This is a foundational, long-standing partnership.
• Sciences Po (Tommaso Vitale)coreTechnology or IntegrationTommaso Vitale, Dean of the Urban School at Sciences Po Paris, serves on IREF's Scientific Committee. This provides methodological expertise in sociology, urban studies, and welfare policy research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SWG (Società per la Ricerca Sociale e di Mercato): Trieste-based market and social research company. Comparable to IREF in survey-based research and social analysis serving Italian public and private clients, with broader commercial research capabilities and larger operational scale.
• Ipsos Italy: Italy subsidiary of global market research firm Ipsos. Overlaps with IREF in survey methodology, statistical analysis, and opinion research, but operates at much larger scale with commercial client focus and broader service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale (IRS): Milan-based independent social research institute active since 1972. Directly comparable to IREF in social research methodology, third-sector focus, and public-sector client base, with similar service offerings spanning surveys, evaluation, and policy analysis.
• Fondazione Terzjus: Rome-based foundation focused on third-sector research and policy analysis. Directly comparable to IREF's third-sector focus and social impact assessment work, with overlapping client base among Italian non-profit organizations.
• Istituto Luigi Sturzo: Rome-based research institute on social and political issues, with historical ties to Italian Catholic social movements. Comparable to IREF in Catholic-institutional heritage, Rome base, and social/political research mandate.
• Fondazione Giovanni Agnelli: Turin-based research foundation focused on education, training, and youth. Closely comparable to IREF's focus areas on training, youth employment, and educational research, with similar academic credibility and Italian institutional context.
• Censis (Centro Studi Investimenti Sociali): Italy's most prominent social research foundation, conducting multi-disciplinary research on Italian society, economy, and welfare. Directly comparable to IREF as a long-established Italian social research institute serving public administrations and enterprises, though Censis operates at significantly larger scale.
• Eurispes: Italian research institute publishing the annual Italy report on social, economic, and political trends. Comparable to IREF in producing authoritative social research on Italian society, with similar policy and opinion research focus.
• Fondazione ISMU (Iniziative e Studi sulla Multietnicità): Milan-based research foundation focused on migrations, intercultural studies, and social inclusion. Comparable to IREF in social research methodology and thematic focus on migrations and discrimination, serving similar third-sector and public administration clients.

Emerging players

• LabIR (Laboratorio di Ricerca Sociale): Italian social research laboratory focused on urban studies, social policies, and qualitative methodologies. Comparable to IREF in qualitative research approach and social policy focus, with overlapping academic networks in Italian sociology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iref-ricerche

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IREF - Institute of Educational and Training Research