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The Head of Administration in Italy: the past, the present and the future

Has the “role” really changed?

Pasquale MastrodomenicoHead of Administration - University of Eastern Piedmont Amedeo Avogadro

Vercelli, Italy

HUMANE SEMINARSalford, 7th 8th March 2008

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Contents

• the role of the H.o.A.

• Italian general overview

• the history

• the evolution

• the (near and possible) future

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The role of the H.o.A. – in theory (From Fernando Casani’s presentation, Pavia, Humane Seminar on Governance,

October 2004)

DefinitionThe way in which someone is involved in an activity or situation and how much influence they have on it

The mission is to balance different powers and to deal with different players in order to achieve the institutional goals

In practiceis the person in charge of the management of the administrative and economic services of the University

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The role – in the reality Definition

The Mission

In practice

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The Italian University context

Number of Universities: 95 (up to January 2008)

67 State Universities 70% (students 93% - professors 96%)

28 non State Universities 30% (students 7% - professors 4%) as follows: 10 private 7 catholic universities 11 on-line universities

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non State Universities

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11

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H.o.A. regulationsBefore 1989

Appointed by the Ministry of Education from a roll of University managers called ruolo organico

Act nr. 168/1989Each University is autonomous according to its Statute

After 1997• appointed by each Rector in agreement with the University

Government Bodies.• it is no longer a “ruolo organico”.• the belonging of the H.o.A to the University system is optional;

he/she can also be a manager coming from other Public Institutions.• the academic degree for the position is not necessary.

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Italian Public Administration key points Political vs managerial relation

Act nr. 29 /1992 makes a distinction between the political and the managerial direction

Therefore, since 1992 managers are appointed by the political governing bodies, both national and local (e.g. Regions, Local institutions).

This is a pattern also followed by Universities (state, private, catholic, on-line) in the appointment of managers and HoAs.

The problem: to balance the managerial autonomy and the political choice.

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The Universities in history

Aristotle and the Peripatetic School: the first High School in the history of mankind.

- no lecture rooms, no e.c.t.s., no English language, no power point, no …

but

- exams, libraries and … walking along the peripatoi of the Lyceum.

What a hard task for the imaginary H.o.A!

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The Middle Ages“Cancellarius academiarum”

“dicti qui iis ….

Quodammodo praesunt, penes quos totius rei literariae regimen, ac moderatio est, qui si res postulat, in societatem professionis suae idoneos Magistros advocant, castigant, si quid in doctore collega sit dignum poena aut reprehensione, et meliores subrogant, catedrisque praeficiunt, Baccalaureos ad Doctoralem apicem promovent, novas leges condunt, veteres abrogant,

scholarum disciplinam reformant, etc. “

From: Du Cange, Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis II. Band, Unveränderter Nachdruck der Ausgabe von 1883-1887, 1954, Akademische Druck – U. Verlangsanstalt, Graz- Austria

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The recent past until 1982

• notary function

• bureaucratic activity

• certification of the managerial formal regularity

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Current issues

• Decentralization• Autonomy• Salaries• Pensions• Budgetary autonomy of Faculties and Departments• National and local evaluation• ….

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• Secretary of the Senate

• Secretary of the Council

• Head of the offices of Central Administration

• Responsible for the pursuance of the laws and regulations

• Signature of acts or delegation

Main tasks

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H.o.A. H.o.A.

PAST PRESENT FUTURE

H.o.A. H.o.A.

COUNCIL

RECTOR

MANAGERS

SENATE

DEPTSOTHERS

COUNCIL

RECTORSENATE

DEPTSOTHERS

MANAGERSFACULTIESFACULTIES

?

?

CL

OS

EO

PE

N

PE

RS

PE

CT

IVE

PE

RS

PE

CT

IVE

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To sum up

– The context (legal, academic, economic)– The competences (non only administrative but technical and

managerial)– The internal and external players – The way to deal with them

have certainly changedBUT

The role of the HoA has remained (more or less) the same.

How have we managed to survive across time?

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We are the first example of Genetically Modified Organisms !

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Tomorrow

The future is unknown

A good chance to survive could be …

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SECOND

LIFE!

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THANK YOU FOR YOUR

ATTENTION