You can change the databases, examine different analyzes, but by changing the order of the addends the result does not change: public spending in Italy for universities and research is among the poorest in Western countries. The 2017 data collected by the CPI Observatory are indicative. Italy, at the time, was the only country in the European Union where spending on public debt was higher – by 0.2 percentage points of GDP – than spending on education. By separating the resources that concern only tertiary education, i.e. university education, from the total, it turns out that in 2017 the state spent only 0.3% of GDP, less than half the European average of 0.7%. In the latest edition of the annual report Education at a glance – published in 2021 and which examines the data of 2018 -, the OECD reports that Italy spends 4,760 dollars less for each university student than the average of the member countries Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Eurostat statistics for 2021? In the Netherlands, a state of 17.4 million inhabitants, twice as much as Italy is invested in universities in absolute terms.
Negative comparisons are also wasted in the research and development sector. Using the database again OECD, Italy spends just over 1.4% of its GDP in this area. The United Kingdom the 1.7%, the France it 2.2%, the Germania il 3,1%. The EU average is around 2.2%. The unfortunate situation of universities and research makes it necessary to analyze the electoral programs: what are the parties that are candidates to govern the country intend to do in this crucial sector for Italy’s economic and social growth? The declarations of intent of each party envisage a generic increase in investments in universities and research, but only a few political forces detail their proposals on the subject. The so-called Third Pole, for example, outlines a systemic action to favor what they define as “university citizenship”.
Action and Italia Viva focus on increasing investments, recruiting teachers and support for off-site
“To support housing autonomy, we propose to guarantee residential support for all non-resident students enrolled in universities or ITS for a maximum of 4 years”, reads the program of the joint list of Action e Italy Viva. To ensure fairer access to tertiary training, the two centrist parties are launching a series of initiatives that will include, for those who go to study away from home, “the introduction of tools and resources to ensure health, housing, administrative and mobility services “. Furthermore, the training led by Carlo Calenda aims to increase the attractiveness of Italian universities at an international level by increasing foreign language courses, hiring foreign teachersie more Italian courses for students arriving from abroad. Under the umbrella of recruitment, Action and Italia Viva want to start a recruitment program for new teachers and researchers «in order to align the relationship between teachers and students with European standards. In Italy, in fact, the number of students per teacher is 20.3 while in France it is 16.8, in the United Kingdom it is 15.4 and in Germany and Spain it is 12».
For research, the Third pole indicates the Amaldi Plan (the proposal to bring investments in universities and research to the levels of France, launched by some professors during the pandemic and also supported by Giorgio Parisi) as a bed in which to implement an increase in investments “Until a further percentage point of GDP expenditure is reached”. Another novelty suggested by the electoral program is that of transform universities into private law foundations “Totally and proudly public capital, to allow the Italian university to compete with all its energy and potential in the global market”.
In the unified program of the center right, the suggestions of the coalition on university matters are not particularly detailed. Chapter 14 of the framework agreement, the penultimate on the list, reads: «Plan for the elimination of the precariousness of teaching staff and investment in the training and updating of teachers. Modernization, safety measures, new construction of university residences. Enhancement and promotion of vocational technical schools aimed at introducing young people to the world of work. Alignment with European parameters of investment in research. Encourage university courses for the professions Stem. Greater support for deserving and incompetent students. Promote the return of highly skilled Italians currently abroad.
Both from the right and from the left, there is an insistence on increasing funding for research. The 5 stars promise free graduation redemption
Scanning the programs of the individual center-right parties, a few more proposals emerge, but equally poor in details. For instance, Brothers of Italy would like the abolition of the placement test and the introduction of an access system for real merit at the end of the first year of the course common to several faculties. Also present was the proposal to reduce the cycle of studies to four years. There Lega insists on support a lot to students with disabilitieswhile Come on Italy proposes among other things the “planning of study paths for health professions in close harmony with the needs of the requirement ». Silvio Berlusconi’s party generically underlines the need to invest in research, especially in the health and technology sectors. Giorgia Meloni, moreover, speaks of «favoring the synergy between universities and private individuals in the field of research and patents “.
Moving on to the other side of the future parliamentary arch, the Democratic party he does not focus on methods and figures. Rather, it sketches the constitution of an enlarged welfare system with respect to the current right to education, raising the threshold for no tax area. Mention the enhancement ofuniversity building and advances some sketches of modification of the method of recruiting university teachers. On research, the Dems simply announce that they want to “strengthen research and redesign the policies that link research, innovation and business“. alliance Verdi-Italian Left and + Europe they are more precise on the extent of the resources to be invested in universities and research. The first recalls the goal of 3% of GDP set out in European Treaty of Lisbonthe second, the achievement of 1.5% of GDP “to be shared on funding for projects and basic and applied research, funding for research structures and promotion of research doctorates”.
Civic engagement by Luigi Di Maio promises scholarships and support for non-resident people, new tools to encourage the redemption of graduation years, and investments in research. The 5 star movement goes further and promises the free redemption of the degreetogether with reduction of the limited number for university access and a general increase in funding that also includes research. Finally, among the other political subjects who will run in the elections on 25 September, it should be noted People’s Unionwhich speaks of an increase in 500 million euros per year for the right to university education and a recruitment plan for professors and researchers, e Italexitwhich would like the abolition of the limited number to medicinethe return to study courses of 4 or 5 years and not the current division into three-year degree plus master’s degrees, the reduction of at least 30% of the current types of degree courses and an increase of 0.2% of the GDP destined for university for the next five years.
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