Starting from 2004 the number of universities in Italy has grown with the institution and recognition of new universities, in addition to the 77 universities that already existed.
At present the data on universities in Italy are as follows:
94 universities, which include 3 polytechnics, 2 universities for foreigners, 3 university institutions specialised in postgraduate studies (the 'Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa', the 'Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna di Pisa' and the 'Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi avanzati di Trieste').
Some data on the Italian University system (Year 2005 or latest year available)
60.251 lecturers and researchers
36.944 enrolled PhD candidates
1,823.886 students
In 2003 the total expenditure on research activities in Italy was 14.7 billion euros
Universities in Italy provide teaching and research activities.
In conformity with the principle of the autonomy of universities,
each university draws up its own statutes and its own internal
regulations. The university statute establishes the rules
for its administration, teaching and research through:
Faculties, which co-ordinate the teaching of the various
degree courses, appoint academic staff and decide their roles
and activities. Faculties are administered by Faculty Councils
and the Deans
Departments, which organise research in line with
the teaching that is carried out, promote and manage research,
organise Ph.D. courses and engage in research activity and
consultancy outside the university. Departments are administered
by Department Councils and the Directors
Institutes, which deal with the specific scientific
sectors to which their teaching belongs and in which research
is conducted. Institutes are administered by Councils and
the Directors
Service Centres, which are created by the Faculties
or the Universities for the provision of services of general
interest
TEACHING IN ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES
University studies are organised into a first, a second cycle
and a third cycle (figure
1).
Depending on the study programme, students are recognized
credits expressed in CFU (Crediti Formativi Universitari)
which are comparable with the European Credit Transfer System
(ECTS). The ECTS makes study programmes easy to read and to
compare and facilitates mobility and academic recognition
and can be used across a variety of programmes and modes of
delivery.
RESEARCH IN ITALIAN UNIVERSITIES
For their research activities, some Italian universities
have developed special bodies (called observatories, councils,
committees etc.) whose task is to supervise their scientific
research activity. The characteristics and tasks of these
bodies vary from university to university.
A growing number of Italian universities have established
regulations and procedures for the allocation of their own
funds for scientific and technological research (University
Research Funds - Fondo di Ricerca di Ateneo). A substantial
source of financing for research activities carried out by
the universities is constituted by the national
programmes and international financing opportunities and/or
projects.
As a result of the bestowing of autonomy, the criteria for
the assessment of the projects to be funded and the ways in
which funds are allocated can vary from university to university.
The departments, because they bring together homogenous areas
of research, are the places where research activity is carried
out. They are centres of expenditure and have their own financial
autonomy.
At the present time almost 50% of universities have their
own instrument of information with the characteristics of
a Research
Register.
In June 2004 took place the first research assessment exercise
coordinated by the Committee for Evaluation
of Research (CIVR).
The promotion
of new centres of excellence
Internationalisation
Universities are involved every day in international research
activities. These activities are normally financed by national
funds (i.e the Internationalisation Programme by the MIUR,;
the Scientific
and Technological Cooperation by the MAE) and international
funds.
In addition, for the development of European research, the
European Union has created funds for researchers within the
Framework Programmes (PQ) for Research.
The Sixth
Framework Programme was launched in 2002 to promote large-scale
five-year projects with objectives of notable prospects.
Seven subject areas were identified, in addition to one of
transversal interest. All this formed a part of the creation
of a European research area and the strengthening of major
centres of research.
Italian participation in the last PQs (the
fourth and fifth)
had very positive outcomes:
ITALIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE FOURTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
Source: La ricerca universitaria: esperienze, modelli,
proposte, edited by Carla A.T. Casciotti and Giorgio Mosconi,
CRUI, Rome, 2003.
ITALIAN PARTECIPATION IN THE FIFTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME
Source: La ricerca universitaria: esperienze, modelli,
proposte, edited by Carla A.T. Casciotti and Giorgio Mosconi,
CRUI, Rome, 2003.
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