Growing up I always knew that the day would come when I would take my first steps on a college campus. My teachers, counselors, and parents supported and guided me through the whole process. Going to college was never an option for me; it was an expectation. For many American youth, going to college isn’t just a choice; it is a step in leading a successful life. In America, having a college degree is one of the most important assets a person can possess. It shows that they have studied and worked hard to get to the place they want to be. Universities and colleges around the United States provide youth from around the world with an unlimited supply of knowledge and prepare them for work in the real world. Although there are differences between various schools, each graduating student exits with new experiences and skills that will provide help later in life. But there are other countries where many youth do not see education as a promising path after graduation. One of those countries is Italy. Italy today is home to 85 colleges and universities with almost 2 million students, out of a total population of 58 million, attending them. Italian youth, those 18 – 24, white, and whose families have lived in Italy for decades, are facing the decision of attending institutes of higher education post high school. High drop out rates, prolonged time to finish a degree and location are just some of the factors that are keeping Italian youth from pursuing an education post high school. This paper, explores the issues of the Italian youth’s lack of motivation to attend public institutes of higher education as a result of their quality, structure, and eventual outcomes.
The methods used to research and write this paper were through several sources. Through interviews, an onsite visit, and research articles related to the topic of higher education in Italy research for this paper was gathered. Those interviewed were Fedrica Bianchi, Shara Wasserman, and Melisa. Fedrica Bianchi is an employee of the Italian Education System. She was addressed some questions about the education system in Italy. Shara Wasserman is the director of art history at Temple University who grew up America and now has two daughters who are also American, but living in Italy. With her two daughters currently in school in Italy, she shared a parental perspective on the education system in Italy. Melissa was born in Peru and moved to Rome when she was five. She is currently an undergraduate student studying political science at John Cabot University and plans to graduate in the spring. Her experiences in the Italian tertiary education system gave a glimpse into the life of a college student in Italy. The onsite visit was to Caritas, a local non-profit organization that promotes charity and provides services to those who need help. At the visit, Dottoressa Dihn, the director of Caritas Rome, address a few questions about immigrant students pursuing an education. The research articles provided the majority of research information. In The Economist article, A Case for Change, it focused on Italy’s overall weak tertiary education system. Such issues such as hiring relatives as professors and having classes with low attendance were just some of the items discussed. Another article that provided me with key information was In Italy, Have Higher-Education Reforms Created a ‘Big Bordello’? seen in The Chronicle of Higher Education. This article focused on the new reform in many colleges and universities that allow working students to wave some course requirements and to use their work experience as credits. Many view this policy as an easy way of getting a degree without putting in the work while others argue that along with online classes it is an effective alternative to getting a degree. The article brought attention to the current tertiary school system and the advantages and disadvantages of having it in effect. The last article was Higher Education and Graduate Employment in Italy in the European Journal of Education. Although a little older article, written in 2000, the information about universities and graduation rates proved to be very crucial to the research topic. All the methods used in this research paper were a necessity and contributed to the findings and support the initial hypothesis.
Italy’s higher education system is typically broken down into three options. The first is the ‘short cycle’ or university diploma course known as the lauree brevi or diplomi universitari. The second is a degree course, which earns a student their corsi di laurea, an equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in America. And then there are the research doctorates and specialist diploma courses known as dottorati di ricerca e scuole di specializzazione (Moscari). Out of all the higher education routes, receiving a laurea is the most common.
Institutes of higher education, colleges and universities, in Italy do not receive as many students as other countries in Europe. It is reported “college graduates are rarer in Italy than almost anywhere else in the developed world with only 11% of the adult population holding bachelor’s degrees” (Rocca). Many youth in Italy do not go on to pursue an education post high school, and those who do do not always make it out with a degree. Youth attending college usually begin around the age of 19 and are projected to end around 25, but “only 17% of Italians between 25 and 34 have a tertiary qualification, compared with an OECD average of 33%” (The Economist). That 17% is only a small handful of the population in Italy. Many of the students who do not graduate drop out. There are several factors that are influencing this tiny percentage of people. In 2006, it was reported that there was “a shocking dropout rate of 55%, the highest in the rich world” (The Economist). Students are dropping out for a variety of reasons. Some of these factors might include the professors, the location of schools, the lack of support and guidance students receive, and how long it takes to obtain a degree.
Italy has never been recognized as a country with an exceptional education system. This can be observed especially through their institutes of higher education. In the article from The Economist, “the more common patter is of a uniform mediocrity. Not one Italian institution is in the top 100 of the 2008 Times Higher Education world university rankings”. The overall quality of schools in Italy is failing Italian youth. Shara Wasserman is an American professor at Temple University, who is raising two girls who are currently attending school in Italy. In a discussion with her, she shared her views about the higher education in Italy. Although her insight may have been biased since she is American, she said that “Italian schools are not as good as American schools” and that “in Italy there are few universities that are good, the others are worth nothing”. As a parent, she wants her daughters to attend a college or university in America since college in Italy is too overpriced and only cater to English speaking students. Shara also mentioned that she is already sending her oldest daughter to summer camps held on college campuses in America. Even someone who is familiar with the Italian education system wants to send their children to school in America. This means that schools in Italy are not doing a good job at educating their youth. Shara’s insight on the higher education system in Italy only continues to prove that the quality of these institutions are inadequate and are a cause for the lack of motivation for Italian youth to attend colleges and universities.
According to the article written by Francis X. Rocca of The Chronicle of Higher Education, “overcrowded classrooms and inadequate libraries have been among the widely decried causes…along with a sink-or-swim teaching method that allows little faculty-student contact and bases grades on a single oral examination at the end of each course”. Rocca sums up some of the factors why there is a lack of motivation for Italian youth to attend colleges. One characteristic of schools that stood out was the inadequacy of the teaching staff in universities. “In 1962 and 1969, the pressure of social demand for higher education led the government to give access to every type of university faculty to anyone who had completed a five-year senior high school course” (Moscati). This demonstrates Italy’s lack of credited professors. Just by completing the set amount of education, any body could become an instructor. Another study also found that on some university campuses, current professors were allowed to appoint staff. Students at Federico II University discovered that “15% of teachers had a relative on the university staff” and at Palermo University “230 teachers [were] reported to be related to other teachers”. Both of these instances are examples of the lack of quality professors in teaching positions. Not having good professors then leads to producing students who may or may not have learned the material. According to these rules, any body can become a teacher. This cycle of unqualified professors only leads to an output of improperly taught students.
Another example of the incompetence of professors was during my interview with Melissa. She recounted her experience at another university. Prior to her transfer to John Cabot, she attended La Sapinza. She told me of the lack of relationship between the professors and students. Classes were much larger that her ones now, more like 100 students per class and attending office hours meant waiting for a long time before actually getting to meet with the professor. She also noted that some of her older professors did not know how to use email and thus made communicating with them very difficult, especially being in the 21st century. In many colleges courses, having efficient professors are what make or break the class. Professors who are unqualified make it difficult to learn the material. The deficiency of student-professor relationship, long waits for office hours, inability to effectively communicate, and unqualified professors all may contribute to the lack of motivation for Italian youth to pursue higher education.
Location is also another factor that may be influencing the absence of attendance of Italian youth. Where a campus is located affects many students in their decision of which school to attend. “Italy remains largely a country of small towns and medium-size cities...most of its universities [are] concentrated in major population center, with scare funds and student housing, which [discourages] enrollment by people from remote areas” (Rocca). Having to travel and commute far distances often keeps people from pursuing education post high school. Unlike public primary and secondary schools that are usually scattered throughout neighborhoods, colleges and universities are not as frequently located.
“The mobility of the student population from the peripheral areas to the centre…further tends to consolidate this situation. This mobility, however, is largely discouraged by the lack of accommodation for students who study away from home, which is a typical aspect of the university reality in Italy” (Moscati).
Since many smaller towns make up Italy and college campuses are mainly located in bigger cities, there need to be places for students to reside in. Residency halls and adequate housing accommodations do not exist in Italy for students attending colleges and universities. In order for more students to view college as a serious option, there needs to be places for them to live and thus why location is such a huge factor in the lack of motivation in Italian youth to attend institutes of higher education.
In America, students typically take four to five years to complete a bachelor’s degree at a college or university. But in Italy, finishing a laurea can take much longer. Many Italian students feel that they are in school for too long. Currently there is a “degree system, in which most undergraduate programs lasted four years- although the average graduate actually took more than seven years to earn a degree” (Rocca). The prolonged process of earning degree often discourages students from attending school post high school. According to Moscati and Rostan,
“the average age of graduate is currently over 27. Despite the fact that entry to higher education takes place at the age of 19 and that some degree course last five (engineering and architecture) or six (medicine), students take an average of seven years to graduate, and the overall percentage of graduates who are unable to complete the curriculum in the standard period is over 30%”.
Many Italian youth are unable to earn a degree in the estimated amount of time. By the time students have graduated it is difficult for them to find a job. The length of time it takes to earn a degree is another factor that discourages countless youth from pursuing an education after high school.
In recent years, there have been efforts to increase numbers by shortening the amount of time needed to graduate, exchanging work experience for credits, and also having online schools. The government has installed changes “over the last decade in an effort to increase access to higher education and raise the country’s notoriously low graduation rates” (Rocca). Included in these changes was Mr Berlusconi’s new three-year degree program, which was introduced, “but employers [said] that graduates of [those] shorter courses were not good enough [and] universities are not imparting enough learning within a reasonable time” (The Economist). Even with an alternative to shorten the time it takes to earn a degree, the quality of the program is not up to par. Those who eventually earn the degree are not qualified compared to students who earn a laurea. Another new method to increase tertiary attendance is through the waving course requirements for those who are working. It was to be based on “evaluations of individual resumes [and] Italian universities have routinely waved a standard number of course requirements for students according to their occupations” (Rocca). The aim of the program was to shorten the time it took to earn a laurea for older individuals who were working, since having a degree would “mean an automatic pay raise and promotion,” but people soon took advantage of the program. In 2004 “the University of Siena…offered high-ranking officers of Italy’s military police a degree in judicial administration if they passed three course and wrote a thesis” (Rocca). This abuse of the exchange for work experience caused many government leaders to take a closer look at the credits being waved. Despite efforts to monitor the number of credits being given for work experience, “almost all of the approximately 7,000 students have received experience credits…if [the university] didn’t grant them, [the students] wouldn’t enroll’” (Rocca). Exchanging work experience for credits and therefore shortening the amount of time it would take to graduate did increase the number of students enrolled at colleges and universities, but at the price of a good education. Another method used to encourage Italian youth to go to institutes of higher education was to establish online schools. Since many colleges and universities are located in various areas and getting to them can be difficult, the idea of accessing higher education through the Internet was created.
“One of [the online universities] recently made the news for its apparent financial links to a commercial tutoring school, an arrangement that has raised potential conflicts of interest, since it would presumably give the university an incentive to make it easier for the tutoring school's clients to earn degrees” (Rocca).
In theory, online schools are a good idea; providing education to students who are not able to get to campuses in Italy, but ultimately is ineffective. Currently, “the government has blocked the approval process for online institutions (with eight applications pending) until it develops satisfactory standards…” (Rocca). Online schools are not doing as good of a job as going to an actual college or university. The ones that are operation today are not meeting the values established by the government. Despite the changes have been made to encourage Italian youth to go to college, shorter degree courses, exchanging work experience for credit, and online schools, the Italian higher education system is still unsuccessful in meeting their objectives. Each change they have made has resulted in an inadequacy of quality and learning continuing to contribute to lack of motivation for Italian youth to go to colleges and universities.
Throughout high school, most students in America are guided by counselors who help students figure out which colleges to apply to and how to navigate through the application process. Unlike America, Italian students do not have counselors at their secondary schools who can give them the help, encouragement, or support they need. Fedrica Bianchi addressed the lack of mentors in the secondary school setting. Counselors do not exist in Italy, “most of the counseling work in high school is done by the teachers themselves: they encourage students to go and suggest subject areas too”. Teachers are a great support system, but they do not have the time or resources that a counselor has. Counselors provide the guidance and direction many students need in order to pursue a higher education. Bianchi also mentioned that “some colleges do hold days where students can get information about university subjects, faculties, departments, fees” etc. Although these days provide valuable information to students, without the support of a counselor, Italian students are left with limited help and therefore might never make it to institutions of higher education.
For many people around the world, having a college degree acts as an advantage in the labor market. In Italy it having a laurea does not mean much. Although having a degree can help, there is a “higher change of getting hired with a masters degree” (Melissa). Often obtaining a masters degree requires another two to four years of schooling and many Italian youth do not have the extra time or funds to continue their educational studies. Also being able to have a specific subject degree such as “economics, architecture, law [or] medical studies [can] increase the changes of finding a job” (The Economist). This too requires more school, which many Italian youth cannot afford. For the most part, a degree in Italy “doesn’t mean much…without connections, it’s just a piece of paper” (Dihn). Without proper relationships with people in hiring positions, going to get a post secondary school education is a waste of time. In Italy “the degree of absorption of highly qualified labor appears extremely limited, above all in small and medium-sized firms, which represent an essential component of the Italian system of production” (Moscati). There is a very little demand for students who earn a degree in the work force. Since Italy is mainly made up of small and medium size businesses, which do not require degree holders, there are not many jobs available for students who earn a degree. It was also observed “that almost 15% of graduates were already working before obtaining their degrees and…were still in the same job’ (Moscati). This exemplifies the little need for a degree in order to get a job. Although it may help, obtaining a degree just requires more schooling while delaying the job-hunting process. Italian youth are lacking the motivation to continue higher education because they see no benefit from it. There are some aspects of earning a degree that are positive, but ultimately it can be seen as a waste of time and money.
In conclusion, youth in Italy are faced with a dilemma, to pursue higher education or not. There are many aspects of the current education system in Italy that have resulted in high drop out rates and low attendance and graduation rates of Italian students in college and campus environments. Inefficient professors and class structure, the physical location of campuses, the overall quality and the amount of time it takes to get a degree all contribute to the lack of motivation for Italian youth to go to institutes of higher education. Some of the limitations of this research were the difficulty in attaining accurate statistics since there are several universities on campus. Although recent years have produced some changes in the Italian higher education system, there are still many gaps, which continue to need attention. Further research should exam what the exact benefits are of having a degree and how they can give Italian students an advantage in the competitive job market. Also, the reasons why students are dropping out in such high numbers should be examined; is it the way universities are run that are causing students to loose interest, or is it the lack of funds? Is there a way for more youth to see the benefits of getting a degree? These are just some of the questions that could be examined further. As a current college student I believe that education is very important in this day and age, and I believe that all youth should have the opportunity and motivation to continue their education. I hope that Italy continues to make changes in their education system that encourages more youth to pursue institutes of higher education.
Works Cited:
"A Case For Change." The Economist 15 Nov. 2008: 62-63. WorldCat.org. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
Bianchi, Fedrica. Email interview. 20 Feb. 2011.
Melisa. Personal Interview. 4 March 2011.
Moscati, Roberto, and Michele Rostan. "Higher Education and Graduate Employment in Italy." European Journal of Edcuation 35.2 (2000): 201-209. http://uwashington.worldcat.org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/wcpa/oclc/1990362034717?page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fresolver.lib.washington.edu%2Fresserv%3Furl_ver%3DZ39.88-2004%26amp%3Brfr_id%3Dinfo%253Asid%252Fuwashington.worldcat.org%253Aworldcat%26amp%3B. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
Rocca, Francis X. "In Italy, Have Higher-Education Reforms Created a 'Big Bordello'?." The Chronicle of Higher Education 53.16 (2006): A39-A41. http://uwashington.worldcat.org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/wcpa/oclc/385227947?page=frame&url=http%3A%2F%2Fresolver.lib.washington.edu%2Fresserv%3Furl_ver%3DZ39.88-2004%26amp%3Brfr_id%3Dinfo%253Asid%252Fuwashington.worldcat.org%253Aworldcat%26amp%3Brft_. Web. 3 Mar. 2011.
Wasserman, Shara Personal Interview. 4 March 2011.
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