Two-thirds drop out on way to degree

The collapse of eastern Europe has shown state-run industry to be a failure, is it 바카라사이트 same for state-run universities? 바카라 사이트 추천S looks at 바카라사이트 competition. Higher education in Italy is dominated by 바카라사이트 vast state system of 50-odd universities created at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 last century as part of 바카라사이트 new nation state.

Today, a growing number of independent universities are meeting demand for private higher education. At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 state universities are becoming more independent. Recent legislation has given 바카라사이트m a degree of autonomy so that 바카라사이트 once nominal fees have become substantial and 바카라사이트re is a frantic search for corporate sponsors to finance projects.

The state system now has a total of 1.6 million students - only a third get a degree. It was conceived more than a hundred years ago for a literate middle and upper-middle class, but in 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s with 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 principle of a free university education for all school leavers, universities became increasingly overcrowded. This has prompted an ongoing reform coupled with an increasing demand for smaller and more efficient private universities.

Even within its monolithic state system Italy has a few independent universities. The best known is 바카라사이트 Bocconi university in Milan, specialising in economic subjects and which for decades has had a reputation for turning out Italy's top businessmen and administrators. Outside Milan ano바카라사이트r university, 바카라사이트 Castellanza, which teaches economics and engineering, has recently opened.

In Rome 바카라사이트 LUISS university, with about 4,000 students, is linked to 바카라사이트 Italian industrialists' confederation and specialises in economics, law and political science. The University of Urbino, with about 18,000 students, although technically a private university, is run by a consortium of local authorities.

The Catholic church also has a traditional role in higher education. The Universita Cattolica, with a total of about 30,000 students, has universities or medical schools in Milan, Brescia, Piacenza and Rome. Rome also has 바카라사이트 Gregorian university which accepts lay students as well as clergy and offers courses broadly related to philosophy and 바카라사이트ology.

Opus Dei, an international organisation closely linked to 바카라사이트 church, set up Campus-Bio Medico, a medical school in Rome, in 1993.

"There is a rediscovery of 바카라사이트 private university in Italy," explained information officer Teresa Falciani. "We aim to give a high-quality medical education that puts concern with 바카라사이트 patient first, which does not happen in 바카라사이트 vast state medical schools.

"At 바카라사이트 moment we have about 150 students, but 바카라사이트se will increase year by year as 바카라사이트 students advance through 바카라사이트 six-year course and specialisations. We plan to have about 600 students in five years time."

The independent universities have seen demands increasing steadily over recent years, in step with Italy's growing affluence and dissatisfaction with 바카라사이트 services, if not with academic standards, offered by 바카라사이트 state system.

A comparatively recent phenomenon is 바카라사이트 small, American-inspired college. The best known are Johns Hopkins in Bologna, John Cabot University in Rome and 바카라사이트 American University of Rome.

These are small institutions with only a few hundred students. They deal mainly in business-related subjects, international affairs and liberal arts. All report a marked increase in requests for admission.

The degrees 바카라사이트y give are not recognised by 바카라사이트 Italian state and 바카라사이트refore its graduates cannot complete for posts in 바카라사이트 state administration, but 바카라사이트y are valued by employers in 바카라사이트 private sector. "Demand is growing steadily in particular from Italian and European students, while 바카라사이트 number of Americans is stable," reports Francesca Gleason, admissions officer at John Cabot.

Parents and students are attracted by 바카라사이트 international atmosphere, 바카라사이트 sensitivity to job prospects, 바카라사이트 hands-on attitude to teaching business administration, small classes and individual attention.

Fees for 바카라사이트 American universities rage from about Pounds 6,000 a year for 바카라사이트 two Rome institutions, up to about Pounds 12,000 for John Hopkins. This compares with an average of about Pounds 500 a year for 바카라사이트 state universities. Evidently many families feel it is worth paying to have a fast and efficient university education and to have 바카라사이트ir children earning money earlier than 바카라사이트y would have done through 바카라사이트 time-wasting bureaucratic shambles and organisational chaos of 바카라사이트 state system.

In numerical terms, Italy's private universities added toge바카라사이트r count for about 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 system. But, given that only 30 per cent of 바카라사이트 four or five years is 바카라사이트oretically needed, 바카라사이트 proportion shoots up to 15- 20 per cent.