Contract professors will also be able to be included in the calculation of the minimum number of faculty required to maintain a degree course. This is what the decree on minimum teaching requirements signed by the Minister of Education, University, and Research Stefania Giannini provides.
The new measure, which will be in effect until the 2017/2018 academic year, aims to maintain the educational offerings in universities where the staff turnover limits imposed by current regulations risk halting some courses, to the detriment of students. The return to 100% turnover is expected in 2018.
The decree eases the current parameters for both state and non-state universities, reducing by an average of 30% the number of permanent faculty necessary to keep a bachelor’s and master’s degree course open. Today, the minimum number of required faculty is 9 for first-level courses and 6 for second-level ones.
The decree does not change this number but provides that up to one-third of these positions can be assigned to contract professors or temporary extraordinary professors. This means, for example, renowned teachers and experts, scholars, and professionals, including foreigners. Between 5 and 6 faculty members out of the total minimum required can also be ‘temporary’ in single-cycle master’s degree courses lasting, respectively, 5 or 6 years. The decree will apply only to courses already accredited at the time of its publication.