Academic Culture in Italy

From an Italian:
The Italian educational system consist of a “first” school (called elementary school, from 6-11 years old students), an “intermediate” school (3 more years), high school ( 5 years) and univerisity (college) school (years of study depending on the matters). Recently, the college system has been split into two steps for practically all the graduation courses, a basic 2 years courses, which provides general instruction in the field of interest, and 2 or 3 further years for specialization in a particular matter. If you want to have good marks, it’s demanding. I was told that, until not many years before, the level of competence for a graduation was like the one you may have with a phd in some other part of the world. Nowadays however, many say that the educational level is lowering. After the graduation, in particular for scientific matters, you should go further, many time abroad, and keep on studying, attend to phd etc etc.

1) Instructor-student relationship (lots of respect)?
In the college system (remember that here in Italy we say “university”, not college!) the professor has much respect and power on students. Somtimes, even they are supposed to, they don’t help very much the students, and they consider the teaching as a waste of time for them; in a word, they don’t like teaching, but they just have to. Anyway, it depends on the professor. In any case, the student has little influence on the professor and must pay a lot of respect.

2) connection between money and education (who pays for it)?
If your average marks is excellent (practically you have to mark the maximum score in each examination) you can avoid to pay the university taxes, that are expensive (let’s say about 1000 or 2000 euros per year, depending on the university and on the matter, but I’m not sure). You pay for text books etc. Usually you pay also for the accommodation. There is no campus life as you are used to know, except of very rare exception, because our universities are based inside the cities, so students have to rent a flat or a room in the same city. Some new universities are now built outside downtown, and may offer accommodation to the students (I think university Parma but only for scientific matters).. Students on some particular international program may use the few hostel of the university.
So, usually families pay for their son and daughter studies, and students look for little jobs.

3) teaching methods (lecture or group work or other ways)
The basic method is front lesson in a classroom. For scientific matters you have to attend many laboratories hours as well.
Examination may be oral, written or both (especially in scientific matters)


4) Rigor (is college demanding?)
I’ve already told you that marking good scores is demanding. If you don’t care, you may survive! Usually scientific matters are more demanding that other ones, but it’s up to you how hard you want to study.

5) University campus life
Practically no campus life. You live downtown in the city where you study.

6) Any suggestions you can give to U.S. students who are going to study in Italy.
Come and enjoy! Having a study experience abroad is very important to contribute to make you an all rounded man/woman.