Placement test: changes on the way
But if for those enrolled from the second year onwards the introduction of the ‘green certificate’ was the center of the debate at the end of the summer, among the freshmen in the same weeks they had to worry about getting there to be able to take part in university activities. ; having to deal with the dreaded selections for restricted access courses. One of all, Medicine. What will happen in the future? Will the much-contested test be maintained? “For me it is a pain – Mass emphasizes – to leave out so many medical students. I know what the transport of those who want to do medicine is ”.
Orientation is central
Despite this, he reiterates that the limited number is destined to remain, in order to keep the quality of the courses high and avoid the risk of overcrowding of the universities. “What you can work on – he continues – is an access test that sees a path rather than a single point made just before the start of the courses”, declares the Minister. Also to be able to evaluate students correctly. “It is necessary to do orientation, self-evaluation, start from the third or fourth grade of high school, to make people understand when a vocation is a true vocation”. Already for next year, Mass announces, a commission is evaluating the possibility of making small changes to the system.
For those who are not satisfied with just one degree, a bill is being discussed – approved in the Chamber and awaiting approval in the Senate – which opens up the possibility of following two different university paths: “I don’t see why we must give the possibility to do so ”, says Messa.
The Green Pass at university? The trend of the pandemic will follow
Returning, however, to the very topical – the Green Pass – the Minister is keen to remember that “the indications have changed over time, following the trend of the pandemic. At the beginning they were narrower: access only with Green Pass, distance meter and mask ”. Precisely for this reason, to date, it is possible to “derogate from the rule of the distance meter and ensure that the classrooms welcome up to 100% of students”. While stressing that “we are not out of the pandemic yet”.
Staying on the subject, it is impossible not to mention the protests on the Green Pass, which also saw university students take to the field. The Minister, however, is faithful to her position regarding the request to make swabs free for students and reiterates that “for the moment the answer is not to give swabs for free, also to urge them to get a vaccine“. However, in order to preserve the right to education, it opens doors to exceptions, “at least for people who cannot get the vaccine”. For now, however, nothing has been established. As Mass explains, in fact, he is expecting to see “how far you can go up with vaccination coverage and what will happen with the arrival of the first cold months”.
Mixed teaching? Possible scenario
Another of the direct consequences of the pandemic was the use of Dad, which affected not only the school but also the university. A modality that, if in schools now seems completely set aside, in many universities it continues to coexist with face-to-face activities. A sort of “Mixed Didactics”. Therefore, it is legitimate to ask the Minister if this of the online lessons alongside those in the classroom is a legacy destined to last: “Universities – he says – are studying what is the best mechanism for complementing face-to-face activities with those at a distance. This can be interesting to reach everyone, even those students who cannot be present ”. But it is a path that can also “favor the exchange between faculties and universities, in Italy and abroad”.
Internships and Erasmus: off we go
Of course, it is more difficult to carry out all those practical activities that require attendance online, such as internships and workshops. Each university organizes itself independently, Mass explains, but it is important to remember that, for example, for professional degrees, “the internship will take place before graduation, and not after. We have to reorganize the courses so that students can have the theoretical, practical and internship part within the path ”.
Two words, the Minister, also reserves them for Erasmus projects. After almost two years, in fact, we start again, perhaps relaunching on the objectives: “The project has a great launch by the European Union because the dedicated funds have doubled and the audience has also increased, expanding not only to university students and workers but even to high school students. There is a great desire to recover time and resume activities “. For example, it is happening with the university residences, emptied in recent years and today again full of students: “There is already a lot of movement – Mass says – and they are back almost completely. There are students from all over the world.
How PNRR funds will be used
Finally, a mention of the PNRR. Important funds for education are on the way. How will the lives of university students actually change? “We will have higher scholarships, because we increase the share of the scholarships, and maybe we dedicate some of them to a sort of“ Italian Erasmus ”or, again, to encourage female students to study STEM. Student residences will also increase: we aim to double or triple the number of beds available. We will invest heavily in transversal skills, we will finance universities to give students the skills required by the world of work, from digital to green “.