Massimo SARGIACOMOProfessor of Public Sector Accounting &

Management Department of Management and Business

Administration University “G.d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara

PhD in Italy:

Targets and Organization

Agenda

IntroductionBrief PhD history until 1998Overview of the 1998 Reform2013 PhD reform Job placement, satisfaction, etc. Conclusion and future trends

Introduction

PhD programs have undergone a deep changing over time in order to meet the UE international standards and best practices;

the latest reform launched by the Decree of Education, University and Research Ministry, 8th of February 2013, introduced new rules about “central” assessments;

New procedures to validate PhD programs, new criteria for their establishments and the assessment of their locations (university sites) .

Brief PhD history: until 1998 (1/2)

First “foundation”: D.P.R. n. 382, 11th of November, 1980 which considered PhD as training course to the research activities.

Location/site: School or Department identified by a national planning program.

Professors qualification based on contribution of their publications in the academic community.

Nevertheless, at that time there was neither a quality-scale which assessed the publications levels, nor a research assessment exercise;

Brief PhD history: until 1998 (2/2)

PhD qualification: useful only to carry on an academic carrier in the Italian Universities.

PhD qualification required to apply for academic job and get a lecturer/assistant professor position.

PhD awarded to candidates who achieved notable research outputs included in a final (written or graphic) academic defense.

PhD duration: 3 years.

Allowing final exams to those who earned a Master Degree for at least 4 years without having to apply for PhD.

Brief overview of 1998 reform (1/2) PhD qualification: used to perform research

duties and activities not only in the Italian Universities and Research Centers,

but also in companies, public authorities, etc.

Abolishment of the possibility for scholars to defend their thesis without “physically attending” the 3-year PhD courses.

Emphasizing also the teaching role in the Doctoral courses in order to get a PhD qualification.

Brief overview of 1998 reform (2/2)

PhD as a qualification not only “academic” .

One of requisites for site/location validation : partnership with Italian or foreign firms, public authorities, research centers, etc. in order to provide a better work experience to the doctoral candidates.

PhD candidates involved also in the teaching tutorship for the undergraduate and graduate courses.

Job Placement of UdA-PhDs (2003)

Job Placementin the Research Field

A.A. (XII) 1996-1997

A.A. (XIII)1997-1998

A.A. (XIV)1998-1999

Tenured Lecturer UdA 3,70 % 16 % 4 %

Tenured Lecturer other Italian University

11,11 % 0 % 4 %

Lecturer Foreign University

0 % 0 % 0 %

Italian Center of Research

7,41 % 0 % 0 %

Foreign Center of Research

3,70 % 0 % 0 %

Post-doc 18,52 % 8 % 20 %

Part-time or Fixed Term Contract

11,11 % 36 % 16 %

Job Placement of UdA-PhDs (2003) Job Placement

in Non-Research Fields A.A. (XII) 1996-1997

A.A. (XIII)1997-1998

A.A. (XIV)1998-1999

Full time employed in a Regional firm

0 % 0 % 0 %

Full time employed outside the Abruzzi Region

7,41 % 4 % 0 %

Self-Employed 0 % 8 % 16 %

Manager 3,70 % 0 % 0 %

Public service employed 3,70 % 4 % 16 %

Teacher High- School 3,70 % 4 % 8 %

Same Job before starting PhD 7,41 % 12 % 4 %

Other Jobs 3,70 % 4 % 4 %

Unemployed 14,81 % 0 % 0 %

PhD Satisfaction Evaluation

Total State appropriations to Public Universities: 1994-2013

Names of the Ministers of Education (€ 000.000)

Source: Sargiacomo, Il Centro, 17 February 2012

PhD Italian reform 2013: effectsRequisites and criteria very tight in terms of

professor qualifications and scholarship, thus reducing the PhD programs over time.

From 2003 to 2009: around 2.100/2.200 operating PhD courses.

2012/2013 years: significant decreasing up to 1.557

2013/2014: further reduction up to 919.

PhD reform (2013): PhD courses

Source: ANVUR Report on University System - 2013

- 59%

PhD courses by Macro-AreaMacro- Research

Area 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013

(2006-13)

Basic Sciences 600 603 604 583 576 539 560(-7%)

Life Sciences 855 851 833 743 699 647 656(-23%)

Engineering 532 536 521 484 473 424 421(-21%)

Human Sciences 555 553 554 488 462 424 432( -22%)

Social – Legal and Economics Sciences

610 614 612 557 548 501 489(-20%)

Total 3.152 3.157 3.124 2.855 2.758 2.535 2.558(-19%)

Source: ANVUR Report on University System - 2013

PhD Reform 2013: PhD courses qualifications – a.a. 2014-2015 (1/2)

Doctoral boards: no less than 16 academics (included lecturers/assistant professor up to 25% maximum) and research areas consistent with the training objectives.

Members of Doctoral Boards: reported publications at an international level in the different doctoral research areas (mainly, in the last five years….)

Strong emphasis on members’ “A” publications

ANVUR journal rating “not always” coincides with the academia journal rating

Average number of scholarships: 4 to 6 for each course.

PhD Reform 2013: PhD courses qualifications – a.a. 2014-2015 (2/2)

Sufficient and adequate available funds to financially support scholarship and research activities during the PhD courses.

Certified and specific equipments for study and research activities of PhD candidates (e.g., scientific laboratory, library, data base, Scopus, ISI, etc.).

Training and learning activities, languages and IT improvement courses.

New and “converted” courses Reform 2013 Area Size New

2013/2014Converted 2013/2014

Total 2013/2014

PhD Courses 2012/2013

VAR %

North LargeMediumSmallTotal

23391375

11717643

336

14021556

411

19238398

673

-27.1-43.9-42.9-38.9

North-West LargeMediumSmallTotal

20211152

379226

155

5711337

207

8621375

374

-33.7-46.9-50.7-44.7

North-East LargeMediumSmallTotal

3182

23

808417

181

8310219

204

10617023

299

-21.7-40.0-17.4-31.8

Center LargeMediumSmallTotal

6352970

1175832

207

1239361

277

13314673

352

-7.5-36.3-16.4-21.3

South (included Isles)

LargeMediumSmallTotal

34241775

13432480

476741

155

14714486

377

-68.0-53.5-52.3-58.9

ITALY LargeMediumSmallTotal

7011259

241

27730299

678

347414158919

619817343

1557

-43.9-49.3-53.9-41.0

Strengths WeaknessesRemoving “peerage” of professors.

Limiting bad practices (e.g. academic nepotism, or unfair recruitment selections)

Required much more qualifications of academics…and better research outputs from PhDs.

Much more quality of PhD courses in terms of doctoral programs, research activities, etc.

Ongoing disappearing and reduction of many PhD courses.

Too tight PhD qualification criteria

Many courses will be “closed” –or asked to merge - because of their inability to raise funds.

Failure to provide salary incentives to professors of doctoral students who boast “A” publications

PhDs Job placement in Italy (2009)

Source: ISTAT Report - 2010

PhDs Job placement in Italy (2009)

Source: ISTAT Report - 2010

PhDs employed by position (2009)

Source: ISTAT Report - 2010

%

PhDs Satisfaction (2009)

Source: ISTAT Report - 2010

PhDs working abroad by Area (2009)

Source: ISTAT Report - 2010

Conclusions and future trends (1/3)

The PhD candidate in Italy is still the “ugly duckling”!

There is the immediate need to recognize the PhD candidate as an effective “worker” and not just a figure “stuck at a crossroads” between “student” and “worker”;

UE good practices consider PhD “student” as a “researcher in the making”, expert and professional in the University according to the European Charter for Researchers.;

UE requires that PhD students, Italian as well, must be hired by an employment contract, thus not maintaining only a “student status”.

Conclusions and future trends (2/3)

The Italian University System is fated to collapse, if the Italian Government will not invest more funds to bear and develop research activities and the University system as a whole.

Shifting of “paradigm” from prior erroneous view

«One can’t eat by culture. One doesn’t live of

culture, I’m gonna go to the buvette to get a sandwich and starting off with “The Divine Comedy”»

(Tremonti, Minister of Treasury, Statement, fall 2010).

Conclusions and future trends (3/3)

….. If Italy does not invest on research and education…

So….What is Italian Government going to do? Time is over!!!