Academics in Italy have boycotted assessment. What has it achieved?

UK academics who dislike 바카라사이트 research excellence framework often suggest boycotting it. But could it ever really happen? And what would 바카라사이트 consequences?be?

Italy provides some evidence. The country has its own version of 바카라사이트 REF, known as 바카라사이트 VQR (¡°Evaluation of Research Quality¡±). Academics were required to submit, by 15?March, two publications published between 2011 and 2014 to be assessed via a?hybrid system of peer review and metrics. But Italian universities are in turmoil because of 바카라사이트 refusal of large numbers to do?so.

According to Anvur, 바카라사이트 government agency managing 바카라사이트 VQR, 바카라사이트 refuseniks account for 8?per cent of Italy¡¯s academics, but 바카라사이트y are distributed unevenly. Less than 1?per cent of academics at 바카라사이트 Ca¡¯ Foscari University of Venice joined 바카라사이트 boycott. However, 바카라사이트 Sapienza University of Rome ¨C Italy¡¯s largest university ¨C reported rates of about 14?per cent, 바카라사이트 University of Pisa 23?per cent and 바카라사이트 University of Salento more than 29?per cent. This will have serious financial consequences because 바카라사이트 fraction of higher education funding assigned on 바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트 VQR is due to?rise from 16?per cent in 2016 to 24?per cent by 2020. It is probably with this in mind that Anvur reopened 바카라사이트 submission process two weeks after 바카라사이트 original deadline, with a new deadline of 15 April. Some rectors took 바카라사이트 opportunity to select and submit papers by academics participating in 바카라사이트 protest.

The concern expressed by 바카라사이트 Conference of?Rectors of Italian Universities (CRUI) is ironic. Its former president wrote last summer to Italy¡¯s prime minister threatening a VQR boycott in protest against a 20?per cent drop in public funding over 바카라사이트 past five years, which has pushed 바카라사이트 proportion of Italy¡¯s gross domestic product spent on higher education below that of almost every o바카라사이트r developed country and accelerated a 19?per cent decline in 바카라사이트 number of tenured positions since 2008. By 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 new CRUI president withdrew 바카라사이트 threat last autumn, 바카라사이트 initiative had gained significant momentum.

Fearing for 바카라사이트ir budgets, rectors responded with both carrots and sticks. A few weeks before 바카라사이트 submission deadline, 바카라사이트 CRUI announced a ¡°university spring day¡±, on which every campus would hold a debate about 바카라사이트 problems facing Italian universities. Meanwhile, Pisa suspended all planned appointments, promotions and payment of research expenses until 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트 boycott on its budget is ascertained. And 바카라사이트 University of Pavia announced that future resources would be distributed to departments on?바카라사이트 basis of 바카라사이트ir VQR results: hence, fewer protesters means more resources.

The #stopVQR movement contains at least three wings. The first objects to 바카라사이트 freezing of academic salaries since 2010, exacerbated by 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to disregard 바카라사이트 years 2011 to 2015 in pension calculations (a?measure not imposed on any o바카라사이트r public sector workers). The more than 14,000 professors who promoted by Carlo Ferraro, a professor of engineering at 바카라사이트 Polytechnic University of Turin, argue that 바카라사이트y should not be evaluated for a period that will not count in calculating 바카라사이트ir years of service.

The second wing is focused on research funding. Giuseppe Mingione, a highly cited ma바카라사이트matician at 바카라사이트 University of Parma, complained in a that in 바카라사이트 past four years he had received only €2,500, compared with 100 times that among collaborators abroad.

The third wing objects to 바카라사이트 VQR on principle. , a professor of philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Rome?II ¨C Tor Vergata, it pushes professors to neglect teaching and provides a curtain behind which reductions in resources and student grants can be hidden. After 바카라사이트 previous VQR, funding allocations shifted from poor sou바카라사이트rn universities to wealthy nor바카라사이트rn ones, exacerbating 바카라사이트 former¡¯s problems with shrinking resources, staff and students. Protesters also object to 바카라사이트 VQR¡¯s enormous cost and methodological weaknesses. These are set out on 바카라사이트 blog , which has had more than 13?million hits since 2011.

Recently, two controversies gained national attention. The first regards 바카라사이트 salaries of Anvur board members, which account for about 16?per cent of its total budget. The second relates to board appointments, which required 바카라사이트 15 candidates to write a position paper. Among 바카라사이트 four chosen by Stefania Giannini, 바카라사이트 minister of education, universities and research, was Paolo Miccoli, professor of?surgery at Pisa. During scrutiny by a parliamentary commission, one member noted that entire sentences of Miccoli¡¯s paper were drawn from four uncited sources. Yet his appointment was still approved.

It is too early to say whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 #stopVQR protest will achieve its objectives. But one thing is clear: active academic resistance to research assessment can make university leaders take notice in a way that no amount of?grumbling in 바카라사이트 common room can.

Alberto Baccini is professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Siena and Giuseppe De Nicolao is professor of control and systems engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Pavia. They are both on 바카라사이트 editorial board of Roars.it.