Ministry presents three-year plan for universities

By Brenda Dionisi. Italian officials are finalising a major funding and standards strategy for universities, which they hope will be enacted despite the country’s endemic political instability. The plan has been developed by the Ministry of Education, University and Research and will span three years, 2013-15, setting academic standards for both state and non-state universities. It also seeks to further internationalise higher education. Assuming that overall 2013 higher education funding is maintained next year, the programme will spend up to €167 million (US$230 million) in 2014. More...