The RIPAM Cohesion 2026 Competition offers 882 permanent technical specialist positions in seven regions: Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily. Those who hire are the Municipalities, metropolitan cities, provinces, unions of municipalities and the Regions themselves, who need to strengthen the technical capacity on projects financed by European cohesion funds.
The required profile is that of a graduate in engineering, architecture or territorial planning. The winners will be classified in the initial level of the officials area provided for by the national collective labor agreement relating to staff in the local functions sector – Three-year period 2019-2021. Let’s see how the places are distributed by region, the admission requirements for the competition, the structure of the written test and the subjects to prepare.
RIPAM Cohesion Competition 2026: places available
The competition is organized on a territorial basis: each of the seven regions involved corresponds to a distinct competition code, and each candidate can apply for only one code, thus choosing the geographical area of interest to him.
The following places are distributed between municipalities, metropolitan cities, provinces, unions of municipalities, mountain communities and the Regions themselves:
| Region | Competition code | Places |
|---|---|---|
| Basilicata | ST/BAS | 35 |
| Calabria | ST/CAL | 104 |
| Campania | ST/CAM | 237 |
| Molise | ST/MOL | 8 |
| Puglia | ST/PUG | 168 |
| Sardinia | ST/SAR | 61 |
| Sicily | ST/SIC | 269 |
| Total | — | 882 |
RIPAM Cohesion Competition 2026: participation requirements
In addition to the general requirements valid for all competitions, to participate you must have a qualification that falls within one of the following degree classes, obtained in Italy or recognized as equivalent:
- Master’s degree (LM) in the classes: LM-3 Landscape Architecture, LM-4 Architecture and Building Engineering-Architecture, LM-22 Chemical Engineering, LM-23 Civil Engineering, LM-24 Building Systems Engineering, LM-26 Safety Engineering, LM-27 Telecommunications Engineering, LM-28 Electrical Engineering, LM-30 Energy and Nuclear Engineering, LM-35 Environmental and Land Engineering, LM-48 Territorial, urban and environmental planning, LM-75 Sciences and technologies for the environment and territory.
- Degree (L) in the classes: L-7 Civil and environmental engineering, L-17 Architectural sciences, L-21 Territorial planning, urban planning, landscape and environmental sciences, L-23 Building sciences and techniques, L-32 Environmental and nature sciences and technologies.
Anyone who holds an academic qualification issued by an EU or non-EU country participates in the tests with reservations, awaiting the declaration of equivalence or equivalence issued by an Italian university or by the Department of Public Function.
How to apply
The application can be submitted exclusively online on the inPA Portal – by 23 September 2026, 11.59 pm – after registration and authentication via SPID, CIE, CNS or eIDAS. It is necessary to have a personal PEC address or digital address, which is essential to receive communications relating to the competition.
A participation fee of 10 euros (non-refundable) must be paid. In the case of multiple submissions, only the last application submitted in chronological order is valid; the previous ones are considered revoked. For technical assistance on the registration procedure, a dedicated form is active on the inPA Portal.
RIPAM Cohesion Competition 2026: how the selection works
The selection of the RIPAM Coesione Sud 2026 competition involves a single written test, the same for all competition codes, which will take place using IT tools (even in decentralized locations and in multiple sessions). The test consists of 40 multiple choice questions to be solved in 60 minutes, for a maximum score of 30 points:
- 25 questions on the technical subjects indicated in the notice: 0.75 points for a correct answer, 0 points for a missed answer, -0.25 points for an incorrect answer.
- 8 logic and critical-verbal reasoning questions, with the same scoring scheme.
- 7 situational questions on organizational and management issues: 0.75 points for the most effective answer, 0.375 for the neutral one, 0 for the least effective one.
The test is considered passed with a minimum score of 21/30. The date and location of the competition are communicated on the inPA Portal at least fifteen days in advance, and any communication relating to the competition, including the outcome of the test, takes place exclusively via the portal.
Materials and preparation
Preparation for the written test requires the study of a wide range of technical and regulatory subjects related to land management and public works:
- EU regulations on structural funds, in particular Regulations (EU) 2021/1057, 2021/1058 and 2021/1060;
- Regulations on hydrogeological risk, seismic risk, environmental assessment, public works and land management;
- Regulations on the protection of health and safety on construction sites and in the workplace;
- Design and maintenance of road infrastructures;
- Construction techniques and urban planning of the territory;
- Systems for carrying out public works and protecting and enhancing cultural heritage;
- Legislation on construction and urban planning, notions of appraisal, cadastre and topography, occupation and expropriation for public utility;
- English language, level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;
- Digital skills and knowledge of information and communication technologies.
Added to these are the logic questions and the situational questions, which do not require notional study but specific training on critical reasoning and the management of concrete organizational cases.
Ranking and hiring
At the end of the test, the examining commission will form a final merit ranking for each competition code, which will be published on the inPA Portal and on the website of the Department for Cohesion Policies.
The winners will be assigned to the destination administrations based on the preferences expressed, following the ranking order, and will be hired on a permanent basis in the area of officials of the Local Functions sector. Before entering service they will attend a training course on cohesion policies, lasting a maximum of three months, with a scholarship of 1000 euros gross per month.
Anyone who passes the competition but remains out of available places will be placed on a list at the Department for Cohesion Policies, which can be used for further hiring within the limits of the law. Staff hired with this procedure will not be able to access mobility towards other administrations until 31 December 2029.
