Abstract

At a time when Italy's chronically struggling economy is further threatened by the global recession, the government has earmarked the education system for indiscriminate cost-cutting measures, ostensibly to improve its efficiency. But should education and research be the targets of such cuts? How will the underperforming university system benefit, and how will these measures sustain the path to a knowledge-based economy? At present the government directives do not provide compelling arguments to address these questions.