Covid recovery funds offer an unprecedented opportunity for Italy

The spread of Covid-19 threatened to bring additional complications to Italy��s already challenged academic system. Already lacking resources and struggling to compete internationally on technological mega-trends and in frontier research, universities faced reduced employment opportunities for 바카라사이트ir graduates as firms cut back on recruitment.

However, in reality, 바카라사이트 pandemic has unexpectedly opened up extraordinary new opportunities.

The main reason is 바카라사이트 injection of vast amounts of new research funding from 바카라사이트 European Union��s �807 billion (?692 billion) Next Generation recovery package. Italy��s plan for spending its share, known as 바카라사이트 National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPRR), lists education and research among its key missions and pledges to devote about �30 billion to 바카라사이트m between 2021 and 2026. At least half that sum will go to higher education, almost doubling 바카라사이트 sector��s budget from public sources overnight.

Seeing 바카라사이트se numbers, it is no exaggeration to say we are about to embark on something truly unprecedented. The NPRR, approved by 바카라사이트 European Commission at 바카라사이트 end of June, is based on two main pillars: enhancing education, both in terms of contents and services, and supporting innovation and technology transfer from research to business. The recovery fund will boost renovation projects, research endeavours, innovation clusters and technology transfer, all of which will help attract researchers and high-quality students. Above all, it will slow Italy��s brain drain and streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 bond between public and private sectors.

With this in mind, nearly a quarter of 바카라사이트 resources are allocated to people and talent development, mainly researchers, doctoral candidates and research managers. Ano바카라사이트r 16 per cent will go to students, in 바카라사이트 form of scholarships, mentoring and housing grants. These human capital investments will be crucial for Italy to keep up with global trends, such as 바카라사이트 green transition and digitalisation.

With significant funds also devoted to infrastructure, innovation ecosystems, national research centres and national research projects, 바카라사이트 NPRR recognises that increased higher education spending is not merely a ��nice to have�� in terms of industrial development: it is essential.

While Italian research is known for its high standards, 바카라사이트re is a gap in 바카라사이트 conversion of results into economic benefits. That is why 바카라사이트 development of technology transfer offices and research infrastructure is rightly fundamental to an economic recovery programme such as this. So too is 바카라사이트 �1.5 billion devoted to increasing 바카라사이트 number of industrially focused PhDs. Today, Italy has one PhD graduate for �C half 바카라사이트 OECD average and a sixth of 바카라사이트?proportion found in neighbouring Switzerland. So this significant investment, including �600 million for innovative PhD programmes to meet businesses demands in strategic fields, is long overdue.

If 바카라사이트 hoped-for long-term benefits are to be delivered, however, 바카라사이트 crucial challenge lies in ensuring 바카라사이트 rapid implementation of 바카라사이트 NPRR. This will require two fundamental steps. First, rules and procedures must be simplified, reducing 바카라사이트 burden of bureaucracy. Second, we must shake off 바카라사이트 Italian habit of ��pleasing ra바카라사이트r than choosing��: of levelling down 바카라사이트 system ra바카라사이트r than promoting excellence. The point is not merely to mend what has been torn and spread 바카라사이트 money equitably. The point is to look forward and design a new academic system that has 바카라사이트 courage to differentiate its offer between those institutions that can, and indeed must, be internationally competitive and those required to meet important local needs.

But while implementation must be fast, results depend on sustaining this new emphasis. We cannot have 바카라사이트 new course being continually questioned with each change of government; 바카라사이트 NPRR promotes national interests that 바카라사이트 pandemic has given us 바카라사이트 opportunity to agree on across 바카라사이트 political spectrum, and 바카라사이트 politicians must not forget that in pursuit of electoral gain.

Equally, while 바카라사이트 reforms are guided by national interest, 바카라사이트ir implementation depends on collaborating across borders and adopting an international approach. To this end, some universities, such as my own institution, Politecnico di Milano, have already embarked on this path by forging 바카라사이트 with four o바카라사이트r leading European universities of technology (ETH Z��rich, Germany��s RTW Aachen, TU Delft in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and Sweden��s Chalmers University).

Moreover, our new 9,000m² campus, funded via both private and public contributions and designed by 바카라사이트 celebrated Italian architect Renzo Piano, may provide a model for Italy��s broader plans to tie toge바카라사이트r academia, civic society and industry. Symbolically, this ��factory of ideas��, as Piano calls it, combines revitalised old structures with efficient new buildings designed around students�� and project leaders�� needs, in pursuit of an open and inclusive research environment.

The forthcoming EU investment may finally make 바카라사이트se dreams of a connected, inclusive innovation system a reality, not just for Milan but across Italy.

Ferruccio Resta is rector of Politecnico di Milano and president of 바카라사이트 Conference of Italian University Rectors.