Recently published, also on the Politecnico website, the interesting result of the analysis of the university systems of some of the most developed countries in the world (USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain) in comparison with the Italian system.
The analysis, developed by VISION, self-defined (probably rightly) the Italian think-tank, a heterogeneous working group of analysts, sector experts, professors, researchers, consultants etc., analyzes the competitive factors of a university system in order to promote its development and the project of change.
It assumes that an excellent university system implies an increase in the number of competent graduates, an increase in the ability to create/develop/attract talent, an increase in the ability to "produce innovation/research", and in general an increase in the innovation capacity of the country-system and a greater awareness/science-friendly attitude of the population.
In particular, 4 evaluation drivers are identified: -the ability to attract foreign students/researchers (here the situation is very difficult for Italy: the United Kingdom and Germany, but also France and in a lesser tone Spain are much more able than us to attract foreigners and above all to attract foreigners with a quality curriculum. Embarrassing even more, then, the negligible share of foreigners in Italy from other OECD countries)
- The ability to attract the best graduates
- The ability to attract off-site students (outside the region, but also outside the province: emblematic is the example of the Sapienza University of Rome, defined as "a provincial university" for its focus on the basin of the province of Rome)
- The ability to influence public opinion through the production of relevant research and through the media (here the Polytechnic wins.
However, caution: it is the least objective and most "political" indicator of the 4.
The outcome, as was to be expected, is miserable for the Italian university.
However, in a not particularly happy context, the Politecnico turns out to be (confirming the thesis of sole24Ore) the best Italian university.
It is evident that we cannot be satisfied with this result: on the contrary, the fact of being the leading university of the Italian university system rather loads us with responsibility and pushes us to take countermeasures that can act as best practices for other Italian universities (at least for the most immediate followers, miracles we do not expect from ness).
Starting with the attraction of foreign talents (students AND professors): it is time for it to become THE priority of the university, to develop an organic strategy, possibly in collaboration with a small group of excellent Italian universities and under the guidance of the Ministry.
There is no time to lose, it can no longer be the last item on the agenda in the Senate, the Board of Directors and the various Councils: the future of Italy is at stake.
