Italian University System

Università degli Studi di Udine
Dr. Elisabetta Vecchio
International Relations Office
ITALIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
Our European pachwork of education wasn’t
interesting for foreign students
The approach
“…if you have 15 minutes I can explain you about
Belgium education”
doesn’t work!
Legal framework for the reform of the Italian University system:
Ministerial Decree no. 509 published on 3rd November 1999
At national level:
There had already been a shift (started in 1994): from a highly centralised
system towards financial, organisational and curricular autonomy of
institutions.
FROM UNIFORMITY OF QUALIFICATIONS TO THE DIVERSIFICATION OF
CURRICULA AND DEGREES.
At European Level:
Development of a broad intergovernmental agreement for the creation of a
European Higher Education Area, formalised in the Sorbonne (1998) and the
Bologna (1999) Declarations.
THE NEW LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF THE ITALIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM TOOK
ALLA OF THE SORBONNE/BOLOGNA OBJECTIVES FULLY INTO ACCOUNT.
In accordance with the 1999 reform, Italian university studies have been
organised into 3 cycles.
I. First Cycle
Undergraduate studies:
First degree courses (Corsi di Laurea or CL):
undergraduates:
adequate command of general scientific methods
contents specific professional skills.
General access requirement:
Italian school leaving certificate, awarded on passing the relevant state
examinations, 13 years of schooling
equivalent foreign qualifications may be also accepted.
First Degree Courses last 3 years and the first degree (Laurea or L) is
awarded to undergraduates who have earned 180 credits.
II. Second Cycle
Graduate studies include:
1)
Second level degree courses (Corsi di Laurea Specialistica or CLS)
2)
first level specialisation degree courses (Corsi di Specializzazione di Primo
Livello or CS1)
3)
first level university Master degree courses (Corsi di Master Universitario
di Primo Livello or CMU1).
CLS (Corsi di Laurea Specialistica):
- advanced level of education
- exercise of a highly qualified activity in specific areas.
Access to these courses:
- ltalian first degree
- equivalent foreign degree
Course length:
2 years
The second degree (Laurea Specialistica or LS):
- awarded to graduates achieving a total of 300 credits (including those from
the first degree);
- the final dissertation is compulsory
Special courses
Dentistry
Medicine
Veterinary medicine
Pharmacy
Architecture
Regulated by specific EU directives which share the following features
Access with an Italian school leaving certificate
equivalent foreign qualification
admission is always subject to entrance exams
Course length
5 years
(Medicine 6 years).
CS1 (Corsi di Specializzazione):
knowledge and abilities needed for the practice of highly qualified professions
may be established exclusively based on specific Italian laws or EU directives.
Access is by a first degree or a equivalent foreign degree.
Admission:
subject to the passing of a competitive examination
Course length:
2 - 3 years.
The first level specialisation degree (Diploma di Specializzazione
Primo Livello or DS1):
awarded to graduates who have earned 300-360 credits overall, including those
from the first degree (which were necessary for access to the course
concerned).
CMU1 (Corso di Master Universitario di Primo Livello):
advanced scientific courses or higher continuing education studies
open to the holders of a first degree or an equivalent foreign degree
admission may be subject to additional conditions
Course length:
1 year
The first level university Master degree (Corso di Master Universitario
di Primo Livello):
awarded to graduates who have earned at least 60 credits.
III. Third Cycle
Postgraduate studies embrace the following types of degree courses:
•
doctorate research programmes
(Corsi di Dottorato di Ricerca or CDR)
•
second level specialisation degree courses
(Corsi di Specializzazione di Secondo livello or CS2)
•
second level university Master degree courses
(Corsi di Master Universitario di Secondo Livello or CMU2)
CDR (Corsi di Dottorato di Ricerca):
- training postgraduates for advanced scientific research
- professional appointments of the highest consequence
- use of suitable teaching methodologies such as:
state-of-the-art technologies
study periods abroad and internships in specialist research centres
Access:
- Italian second degree
- equivalent foreign degree
- admission on passing of very competitive exams.
Course length:
- minimum of 3 years
- writing of an original dissertation is necessary for the awarding of the
research doctorate degree (Dottorato di Ricerca or DR)
CS2 (Corsi di Specializzazione di Secondo livello):
provide postgraduates with the knowledge and skills required in the practice of
highly qualified professions
The courses may be established exclusively on the basis of specific Italian
Iaws or EU directives.
Access:
- second degree
- equivalent foreign degree
- admission is subject to the passing of a competitive examination
Course length:
specialisation degree courses of the health sector (max. 5 years)
CMU2 (Corsi di Master Universitario di Secondo Livello):
- advanced scientific courses
- higher continuing education studies
- open to the holders of an LS
- equivalent foreign degree.
Admission:
may be subject to additional conditions.
Course length:
a minimum of 1 year
The second level university Master degree (Master Universitario di 2° livello or
MU2) is awarded to postgraduates who have earned a minimum of 60 credits.
University Educational Credits
Degree courses are structured in university educational credits (crediti
formativi universitari / C.F.U.).
A university credit corresponds to 25 hours of work per student, time for
personal study included.
The average annual workload of a full-time student is conventionally fixed at 60
credits.
A Final Thought
“it is easier to move cemeteries than to change the
curriculum”.
Woodrow Wilson
Princeton University