Go ahead to the 660 million of the Pnrr foreseen for university accommodation: while student protests are spreading throughout Italy, a note from Palazzo Chigi yesterday afternoon marks the first step towards the realization of the government’s plan to stem the chronic need for beds.
After verifying with the European Commission that these resources did not qualify as state aid, the government has authorized the presentation of an amendment which confirms, also at the legislative level, the immediate effectiveness of the measures for thehousing university. «I thank Minister Raffaele Fitto for the support and fruitful collaboration in giving full effect to the measures which, through the Pnrr we put in place to achieve the goal of over 52,500 new beds for students”, underlined the minister Anna Maria Bernini. The Ministry of University and Research now it is ready to publish the expression of interest, aimed at public bodies that have disused properties that could become student residences.
From the time of publication, Municipalities, Metropolitan Cities, Regions and all other entities will be able to submit within 60 days the forms of barracks, palaces, convents that could be reconverted. After that, the ministry will publish a call for tenders for companies applying to renovate and then manage those properties: the choice will fall on whoever in their proposal allocates the greatest possible number of beds to students, with an economic assessment compatible with the resources at disposition. Once the proposals have been chosen, the works can begin. Everything should be completed within three years, according to what is set by the Pnrr. But the secretary of the Pd Elly Schlein criticism: «The resources announced by the government go more towards private realities, therefore they do not become structural. We need to establish clear criteria on how we use Pnrr resources so that they are structural solutions». And he announces: “We will insist on more resources for the right to study”.
Meanwhile, collaboration with the mayors of large cities has already begun. This was confirmed by the mayor of Milan, Beppe Sala: «I heard Minister Bernini who told me that he will make a call on Monday». But what are the emergency numbers? While the tents from Milan, Padua, Florence, Rome, Bari, Pavia arrive in Venice, Perugia, Bologna, the student representatives try to photograph the phenomenon.
The National Student Council, in its latest report, spoke of 764,146 non-residents, compared to 36,478 lodgings, a coverage of just 4.77%. But “we don’t know how many off-site residents really need public housing economically”, admits the president Alessia Conti. According to an estimate by the University Union, “one in two students declared eligible” does not benefit from accommodation.