Adnkronos Rome, June 17 (Adnkronos) – “The situation of the university system and public research in Italy has become unsustainable. We are among the OECD countries with the lowest public spending on research, stuck at 0,5% of GDP, far behind Germany (2,6%), France (2,1%) and Denmark (4,8%). And the slight increase expected over the next five years, equal to 0,1%, is completely insufficient”.
Irene Manzi, leader of the Democratic Party in the Culture Commission, said this in the Chamber of Deputies, speaking on the Democratic Party motion for a national strategic plan aimed at attracting and encouraging the permanence of European and non-European researchers in Italy.
"The sector - the Democratic Party representative continued - continues to be crushed by precarious employment: out of over 125 thousand employees, 74 thousand are precarious. And the cuts wanted by the executive that reduce the ordinary fund of the universities, together with the freeze on turnover, risk compromising the stability of the system. The lack of a strategic vision, the absence of investments and the absence of an extraordinary recruitment plan, affect young researchers, PhD students and research fellows, while the rest of Europe strengthens its universities. The paradox is evident: there is talk of attracting talent from abroad while pushing Italian talent to emigrate".
"The Democratic Party - concludes Manzi - is calling for a change of direction: we need an extraordinary and structural plan for the recruitment of researchers and a stable investment in basic research. Italy needs a public policy that recognizes research the strategic role it deserves. It is disheartening to witness the government's negative opinions on the motions presented by the opposition because this could have become a great opportunity for a common discussion on a theme so crucial for the future of the country: that of the freedom and independence of research".