Small Italian universities can foster innovation and entrepreneurship

While large universities in Italy attract the most students, small universities can drive innovation in teaching, student-institution relationships, and the connection between study, research, and work. According to the Censis report, mega universities (over 40,000 students) score an average of 86.6 on employability, while small universities score 76.6; the best small university scores 86, compared to 97 for the best mega university. Small universities cannot compete with large institutions for jobs at major companies, but they can develop strategies for creating new businesses through spin-offs and other support for student entrepreneurship. They can build connections with small and medium enterprises, which form the core of Italy's business fabric, and create reciprocal valorization paths between research and business. With lower student density, small universities can offer more personalized guidance and differentiate their study programs. They can promote an alternative development vision, making their territory a place of interest with high quality of life, fostering new schools of thought, and recovering an autonomous identity for universities beyond standardized teaching.