Università degli Studi di UdineDr. Elisabetta Vecchio

International Relations Office

ITALIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEMITALIAN 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 Legal framework for the reform of the Italian University system:system:Ministerial Decree no. 509 published on 3rd November 1999

At national level: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 LevelAt 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 THE NEW LEGAL FRAMEWORK OF THE ITALIAN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM TOOK ALLA OF THE SORBONNE/BOLOGNA OBJECTIVES SYSTEM TOOK ALLA OF THE SORBONNE/BOLOGNA OBJECTIVES FULLY INTO ACCOUNT.FULLY INTO ACCOUNT.

In accordance with the 1999 reform, Italian university studies have been organised into 3 cycles. I. I. First CycleFirst Cycle  Undergraduate studies:Undergraduate studies:

First degree courses (Corsi di Laurea or CL):First degree courses (Corsi di Laurea or CL):undergraduates: adequate command of general scientific methodscontents specific professional skills. General access requirementGeneral access requirement::Italian school leaving certificate, awarded on passing the relevant state examinations, 13 years of schoolingequivalent 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 CycleII. Second Cycle 

Graduate studies includeGraduate 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):CLS (Corsi di Laurea Specialistica):- advanced level of education - exercise of a highly qualified activity in specific areas.

Access to these courses:Access to these courses:- ltalian first degree- equivalent foreign degree

Course length:Course length:2 years

The second degree (Laurea Specialistica or LS):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 coursesSpecial coursesDentistryMedicineVeterinary medicinePharmacyArchitecture

Regulated by specific EU directives which share the Regulated by specific EU directives which share the following featuresfollowing features Access with an Italian school leaving certificateequivalent foreign qualificationadmission is always subject to entrance exams

Course lengthCourse length5 years(Medicine 6 years).

CS1 (Corsi di Specializzazione):CS1 (Corsi di Specializzazione):knowledge and abilities needed for the practice of highly qualified professionsmay be established exclusively based on specific Italian laws or EU directives. Access is by a first degree or a equivalent foreign degree.

Admission:Admission:subject to the passing of a competitive examination

Course length:Course length:2 - 3 years.

The first level specialisation degree (Diploma di The first level specialisation degree (Diploma di Specializzazione Primo Livello or DS1):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):CMU1 (Corso di Master Universitario di Primo Livello):advanced scientific courses or higher continuing education studiesopen to the holders of a first degree or an equivalent foreign degreeadmission may be subject to additional conditions

Course length:Course length:1 year

The first level university Master degree (Corso di Master The first level university Master degree (Corso di Master Universitario di Primo Livello):Universitario di Primo Livello):awarded to graduates who have earned at least 60 credits.

III. Third CycleIII. Third Cycle Postgraduate studies embrace the following types of Postgraduate studies embrace the following types of

degree courses: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):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:Access:- Italian second degree- equivalent foreign degree- admission on passing of very competitive exams.

Course length: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):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:Access:- second degree- equivalent foreign degree- admission is subject to the passing of a competitive examination

Course length:Course length:specialisation degree courses of the health sector (max. 5 years)

CMU2 (Corsi di Master Universitario di Secondo Livello):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:Admission:may be subject to additional conditions.

Course length: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 CreditsUniversity 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 ThoughtA Final Thought“it is easier to move cemeteries than to change

the curriculum”.

Woodrow Wilson Princeton UniversityPrinceton University