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The Italian Governance Models and the role of the Head of Administration

Pasquale MastrodomenicoHead of Administration - University of Eastern Piedmont

“Amedeo Avogadro” Vercelli, Italy

HUMANE SEMINARTargu Mures, 13th 14th June 2008

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Contents

• Amedeo Avogadro University

• Italian University Governance over the years

• Evolution - devolution activities

• H.o.A. mission - task – role

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Main centres of study:

• Alessandria• Novara• Vercelli

Amedeo Avogadro University (A.A.U.)

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ALESSANDRIA

NOVARA

VERCELLI(Rectorate)

•Law and Economics•Bio-and Environmental Sciences•Sciences and Advanced Technologies•Information Technology•Public Policy and Public Choice•Social Research

•Law

•Mathematics, Physics and Natural Sciences

•Political Sciences

•Business Management and Territory Planning•Economics and Quantitative Methods•Medical Sciences•Clinical and Experimental Medicine•Chemistry, Food, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences

•Economics

•Medicine and Surgery

•Pharmacy

•Humanities•Humanities

DepartmentsFacultiesCity

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The A.A.U. figuresyear 2007

• teaching staff 378 • technical administrative staff 355• students enrolled (I+II cycle) 9.500

(29 coming from Romania)

• PhD + medical schools 550• graduated students 1.700• budget 80.000.000

– from operational State funds 44.000.000– From student’s fees 8.000.000– from others 28.000.000

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Research ranking indicators (AAU vs similar universities)

(National Research Evaluation Committee - C.I.V.R. web site)

fields ranking

Physics 4/27

Chemistry and Environmental Science 3/26

Political and Social Science 4/31

History, Philosophy 5/15

Economics 8/31

Medicine 3/9

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Services and structures ranking (AAU vs Italian universities - Censis a.y. 2008/2009)

Faculty rankingEconomics 7/45Pharmacy 2/29Law 21/45Humanities 13/41Medicine 11/38Mat. Phys. Nat. Sciences 9/29Political Sciences 4/30

A. Avogadro University 15/59

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University Ministry over the years

1988-1996 specific University Ministry

1996-2006 part of the Education Ministry, (University Deputy

Minister with portfolio)

2006-2008 specific University Ministry

2008- part of the Education Ministry, (University Deputy

Minister without portfolio)

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Ministry consulting committees

CUN academic university council (professors and researchers recruitment authorisation, courses authorisation, professors disciplinary action, ...)

CNVSU national evaluation committeeCIVR research evaluation committeeCNSU university student committee CRUI Rector conference

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the former the new University Ministers

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Internal University Governance (Italian overview)

Bodies fields

Senate academics, student, internal regulation and general strategy

Board students’ fees, economical, financial, estate, etc.

Chancellor represents the University, chairs the Senate and the Board

Internal Evaluation Committee (since 1993 - link to the National evaluation committee)

Auditor Committee (since 1982 - a member is appointed by the Economic

Ministry)

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A.A.U. - Senate

Composition (28 members)

Deans and representatives of: Professors, Researchers, Students, technical and administrative staff

Task

Political function, resources allocation planning, academic issues

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A.A.U. - BoardComposition (24 members)

representatives of: Professors, Researches, technical and administrative staff, Students, local Institutions (Cities of Alessandria, Novara, Vercelli), Ministry

Task

supervision of the economical and financial “University life”

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A.A.U. - Chancellor

elected by all Professors and a representative of Researchers, students and technical/administrative staff

Tasks

He/She guarantees freedom of research, teaching and study; protects the students’ rights; He/She is the legal representative of the University

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University milestones

1980 from the “academic chair” to the “roles” (Po - Pa - Researchers)

1982 Departments financial autonomy

1989 Universities statute autonomy

1990 Payrolls decentralisation

1993 State financial simplification (from 21 budget items to only 3 b.i.)

1999 “Bologna Process” (courses reform, ects, mobility, ect.)

2005 National “three year planning”

2007 Courses qualifying requirement

2007 new National Evaluation System

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new University duties • payrolls (fixed salary) • accessory salary (according to Trade-unions negotiation)• building maintenance, new constructions, safety tools• health services (Medicine Faculty)• recruitment process (professors, researchers, permanent or temporary

staff with different rules, long time process, many authorisations, …) • Bologna Process (credits, exams, IT services, mobility,…)• Students courses qualification (teachers number, students number,

transparency requirement, information on web site, …) • Three years planning (regarding academic courses, research, students

services, internationalisation, H.R.) • ...

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… and new Institutional relations

• Education Ministry• Economy Ministry National Administration

Local Administration• Health Ministry National Administration Local Administration• Regional Government• Provincial Government• City Government• Other public and private Institutions (Local Companies,

Banks, Foundations, ...)

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Critical points

• No State funding to run new activities

• The rules change continuously

• Difficulty in recruitment process

• Arising of internal and external Institutional players

• ...

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…to sum-up

Many competences moved from State to Universities

No specific State funds to support Universities

A new economic word coinage

“free-cost reform”!

The result ?

Decentralisation complexity !

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H.o.A. in the past - 1

• till 1997 appointed by the Minister

• chosen from a “list” of University managers

• written on the “list” following a national public selection

• non fixed-term appointment

• H.o.A. level A: big Universities

• H.o.A. level B: small Universities

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H.o.A. in the past - 2the main tasks

• Board and Senate Secretary

• Signature: supply orders and contracts, payment mandates, students’

certifications, salary notes, authorisations, etc.

• “deputy officer” to spend State funding regarding building maintenance and construction, research equipment.

• Budget dimension (e.g.: Turin Polytechnic 1989 budget 20,9 M€ - 2007 budget 293 M€ + 1.400%)

the Mission

Minister’s “longa manus”, to ensure law respect and financial control

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H.o.A. nowadays - 1 • appointed by the Chancellor in agreement with the University

Government Bodies

• it is no longer a “list”

• the belonging to the University system is optional

• he/she can be a manager coming from other P.A.

• the academic degree for the position is non necessary

• fixed-term appointment (3÷5 years period)

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H.o.A. nowadays - 2

the main tasks

• Board and Senate Secretary

• Signature: on contracts, authorisations, etc.

• to write/check reports, to attend meetings, …., to fight with trade-unions, …, to survive to the e-mail flood, ...

the Mission

“is to balance different powers and to deal with different players in order to achieve the institutional goals” (Fernando Casani)

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New H.o.A. skills

• Human resources management (sometimes also psychiatric help!)

• Financial knowledge

• Contracts competence

• Assessment and performance analyst

• I.C.T. knowledge

• Problem oriented

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Amedeo Avogadro UniversityAdministration chart (2006)

H .R . F in an ce/E s tate S tu d en ts

P asq u ale

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Pasquale past experience - 1Administration chart (UniTo 1998-2005)

I.C .T . N ew p ro cessesp lan n in g

H .R . F in an ce S tu d en ts -1 S tu d en ts - 2 R esearch C on trac ts B u ild in g s M ed ic in e L og is t ic s

H o A

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Pasquale past experience - 2 Administration chart ( PoliTo 1990-1997)

H .R . F in an ce S tu d e n ts R e sea rch N .P .S .

H .o .A .

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The way to be H.o.A.

• Chief executive officer

• General secretary

• Executive secretary

• Chancellor secretary

• ….

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Scenarios

H .o.A .scenario n° 3

H .o .A .scenar io n°2

S tru ctu re A S tru ctu re B S tru ctu re C S tru ctu re D

H .o .A .scenar io n° 1

C h an cello rH .o.A .

scenar io n° 4

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Choose the right scenario

adapting to the events ?

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Multe mulţumiri colegilor de români!

Many thanks to the Romanian colleagues!