Visti con gli occhi di un visiting professor

di Paola Nicolini*

Abbiamo chiesto alla professoressa Christine Imbra della Saint Cloud State University (Minnesota – US), ateneo con cui abbiamo un accordo di cooperazione internazionale, di raccontarci la sua esperienza in Italia e nela nostra Università e, soprattutto, di darci le sue impressioni relative alla Riforma in atto. La professoressa  Imbra, infatti, costituisce un testimone priviliegiato, in quanto da tre anni è ospite del'Università di Macerata e da due porta con sé un gruppo di dottorandi di diversi Atenei degli States, i quali studiano specificamente in un programma che permette di acquisire competenze nell'amministrazione universitaria.
L'esperienza di “Education abroad” è centrata sullo studio del funzionamento dei nostri Atenei. Nel primo anno i dottorandi hanno visitato le sedi di più lunga tradizione quali Bologna, Firenze, Perugia, Roma La Sapienza e Urbino, incontrando diversi rappresentanti sia tra dei ricercatori e dei docenti, il personale tecnico-amministrativo, gli studenti e i dottorandi. Nell'anno accademico in corso si sono soffermati sull'Ateneo maceratese, con una puntata a Camerino, vivendone da vicino le dinamiche in un breve periodo di tirocinio all'interno di alcuni tra nostri uffici: l'ex Presidenza della Facoltà di Scienze della comunicazione, il Centro rapporti internazionali, il Centro di Ateneo per l'Orientamento, l'Ufficio comunicazione e relazioni esterne, il Centro edizioni Università di Macerata, il Centro di servizio per l’innovazione d’Ateneo.
Il gruppo è stato ricevuto dal rettore, dal sindaco e dal presidente della Camera di commercio per studiare le modalità di ampliare la collaborazione già in atto tra le due Università al territorio.
Nello stesso anno, un gruppo di dottorandi, accompagnati da due nostre docenti, è stato a propria volta accolto ala Saint Cloud University, affiancando, nelle due settimane di soggiorno, il lavoro dei loro uffici con mansioni affini ai nostri.

Professor Imbra, you were in Italy last May with a group of your doctoral students for an education abroad experience. During your stay, you studied the Italian Higher Education System. Based on the data you collected, what is your general opinion of our Universities?
Generally, the Italian higher education system is in great flux at this time. The most notable observation that we made, and discussed at great length throughout our visit, is that the universities seem to be going through some of the same reorganizational changes that are occurring in the United States on our college and university campuses. For example, Italian and U.S. universities are currently cutting or down-sizing academic programs; reorganizing academic departments and disciplines; and holding professors more accountable in regard to research and student success. These changes are occurring for several reasons, but they are primarily driven by economic conditions; a decrease in state/federal funding; the strong assessment and accountability movement; and an increase in legislative oversight. We were very excited to be a part of the conversations about the reorganization of Italian universities while we were in Italy.

What do you think are our main weaknesses?
Although not weaknesses per se, and certainly understandable given the major reorganization, we found many faculty members on multiple campuses resistant to the proposed changes to the Italian higher education system. This is not unusual, as change is never easy, particularly when it is not adequately explained and understood, yet we did not meet one professor who embraced any of the changes. In addition, Italy’s national system of higher education seems to allow the government and legislators to make changes to the university system with a broad brush, and an expectation that each institution will abide by the proposed changes and its timelines, instead of by smaller strokes in which they of look at each institution individually.

What do you think are our main strengths?
The Italian higher education system has many strengths, which were evident during our visit, including the following:

• the historical context of Italian higher education is very important, as some of the oldest universities in the world are located in Italy. Your universities are revered by students and faculty members in the United States, and around the world, particularly by those of us who study higher education:
• given the history of Italian higher education, and the current state of higher education in Italy, interesting and vital conversations are occurring about the old and the new structures, and many of us around the world are watching to see what lessons are learned over the next few years. For example, the University of Bologna is not only the first degree-granting university in Italy but it is also where the Bologna Process was initiated, yet the Bologna Process is viewed by many as the cause for the proposed changes currently being discussed and implemented on Italian university campuses;
• the Italian higher education system is relatively small, with just under 80 institutions in the country, and each university, although impacted by governmental oversight, has been able to maintain its own culture and history – we saw this over and over again as we visited several universities in Italy. We view each universities history and roots as significant, particularly as the new reorganizations are implemented, and are encouraged to see that maintaining individual culture is important at each institution.

*Referente per l'accordo internazionale con la Saint Cloud University