Italian art academy professors face second-class status in university system
Renato Barilli critiques Italy's stalled reform that partially equated Academies of Fine Arts and Conservatories with universities but left a damaging gap. Academy professors cannot transfer to universities; they must apply as external contractors earning €2,000–3,000 per year. Within universities, the national habilitation system for art history professors (medieval, modern, contemporary, critical-methodological) works well, but qualified candidates are often not hired because departments lack funds or prefer their own graduates. Barilli proposes that the government fund as many hiring positions as there are successful candidates, and that evaluation commissions be stricter. He warns that this inaction fuels brain drain as qualified young scholars seek positions abroad.
Key facts
- Academies of Fine Arts and Conservatories were equated to universities but remain separate.
- Academy professors cannot transfer to universities; they can only get contracts worth €2,000–3,000 per year.
- National habilitation exists for art history professors in four periods: medieval, modern, contemporary, critical-methodological.
- Qualified candidates often are not hired due to lack of departmental funds or preference for internal candidates.
- Barilli proposes government-funded hiring quotas matching the number of successful habilitation candidates.
- He suggests evaluation commissions be more restrictive.
- Brain drain occurs as qualified young scholars seek positions abroad.
- The article was published on Artribune Magazine #48.
Entities
Artists
- Renato Barilli
Institutions
- Accademie di Belle Arti
- Conservatori
- Università di Bologna
- DAMS
- Artribune
Locations
- Italia