The level of university and non university education, and even more the level of the third cycle education, is characterised by freedom and autonomy at a great extent which affects the teaching programmes, the institution and the organisation of the study courses.
Much attention is now paid to the teaching of a foreign language, above all at the university. The official teaching language is Italian, however, many universities have already been offer- ing for many years formative activities (seminars, conferences) in a foreign language (main- ly English), while more recently study courses or single subject courses in English have been offered.
As far as planning and development of the whole tertiary education system is concerned, the majority of the institutions refers to the Ministry of education, university and research (MIUR). Exceptions are the Accademie militari (Ministry of the defence), Higher institutes of religious sciences (if connected to papal universities, they depend on the Holy congrega- tion for catholic education of the Vatican City State; otherwise they are accredited by the Italian catholic Church), and some institutes specialised in safeguard and restoration of cul- tural heritage under the responsibility of the Ministry for cultural heritage and activities.
6.11.1. Non-university tertiary education
As far as AFAM institutions are concerned, the 60% of formative credits CFU required for each course, have been established through Ministerial decree, upon the CNAM opinion, and can be obtained with the following teachings:
a) teachings related to basic education;
b) typical teachings of the school and the course level. In addition, the courses provide also the following activities:
a) teachings aimed at the final test to obtain the qualification and at the assessment of a foreign language knowledge to obtain an academic diploma;
b) further teachings aimed at improving linguistic knowledge, as well as knowledge relat- ed to information technology and telematic, relational skills and any other skill useful to get into the labour market; among them training and guidance apprenticeships which offer a direct knowledge of the work sector connected to the qualification, in order to facilitate the professional choices;
c) teachings in one or more subject areas similar or supplementary to basic areas and sub- ject typical areas, also related to the context culture and cross-curricular education. Furthermore, teachings include laboratory activities or artistic productions, where relevant. The mentioned decree establishes also the number of credits corresponding to teachings cho- sen by the students.
The teaching organisation of AFAM courses is regulated through each institution regulations approved by the Ministry. Teaching organisation and its amendments are adopted through decree of the institution director and made public also through the Internet.
Each regulation establish what follows:
• name and formative objectives of the courses, indicating the respective schools; • general framework of the teachings which should be included in the curricula; • each teaching credits;
• description of the final test for the qualification attainment;
• list of the courses teachings and of the possible subdivision into modules, as well as of the other teachings;
• specific formative objectives, credits and possible preparatory aspects of each teaching and of any other formative activity;
• curricula offered to students and presentation rules of the individual study plans, if required.
• teaching organisation, exams and other procedures of assessment of the students per- formance.
As far as the other non university higher education institutions are concerned, it doesn’t exist a minimum basis common to the very many different types of institutes. Furthermore, they have, to a different extent, quite a high level of teaching autonomy, even though it doesn’t reach the level of autonomy of the AFAM institutions.
6.11.2. University tertiary education
In the recent times, universities have always enjoyed a very wide autonomy concerning research and teaching activities, but also concerning the contents and structures of their teaching programmes. Since 1990, both old and new university systems have been charac- terise by this principle.
This is one reason why it is impossible to provide a general outline of programmes and sub- jects for each course, because they can be highly different depending on the various areas and depending on the position taken by the academic authorities of each university regarding the organisation of the various courses.
Regulations of 3 November 1999 sets the general criteria to outline university studies and qualifications. These regulations transfer the responsibility to establish the teaching regula- tions of the study courses to the single universities, in the respect of the subsequent ministe- rial implementation decrees. Teaching regulations are the body of rules that regulate the cur- ricula of the study course while the curriculum is the whole of the training activities (teach- ing courses, seminaries, practical work and laboratory, didactical activities in small groups, tutoring, guidance, apprenticeship, projects, thesis, individual study activities and self-learn- ing) provided to obtain the qualification.
Each university lays down the teaching organisation and structure of its study courses with a decree of the rector approved by the ministry.
The teaching regulations of each university determine what follows:
• name and training objectives of its study courses; general framework of the training activ- ities that must be included in the curricula; credits assigned to the various training activ- ities; outline of the final examination for the academic qualification. The final examina- tion to obtain the laurea specialistica must include the presentation of a thesis elaborated by the student under the supervision of a tutor.
• organisational aspects of the teaching activities common to the various study courses: in particular, objectives, times and ways that must be adopted by the responsible teaching units to determine their planning and co-ordination activities as well as the evaluation of the results of the training activities; procedures to assign the annual teaching tasks to teachers and researchers; procedures to carry out examinations, including the final exam- ination; methods of evaluation for the students’ progress which must be expressed through votes in 30ths for examinations and in 110ths for the final test, with the possi- bility of awarding the summa cum laude; evaluation of the students’ initial training and organisation of training activities propaedeutical to the assessment of the initial training; evaluation of the quality of the activities carried out.
Teaching regulations of study courses, deliberated by the responsible teaching unit and approved according to the procedures foreseen in the University statutes, establish the list of teachings; specific training objectives and credits; curricula offered to students and rules for the presentation of the individual study plans; provisions concerning any compulsory atten- dance.
As far as the teaching of foreign languages is concerned, regulations of 3 November 1999 prescribe the knowledge of a language of the European Union to obtain the laurea (L). Many universities have their own language centres where they organise language courses for Italian
and foreign students and above all offer a wide range of audio-visual and didactic language teaching material. Furthermore, students can participate in international university exchange programmes and student exchange programmes with universities in the EEC countries and other countries around the world. A few universities offer courses in minority languages. Furthermore, students may participate in international university co-operation programs and student exchanges with the universities of the member countries of the European Union and of other countries.
At national level, the Ministry established the laurea (L) and laurea specialistica classes [6.10.2.].
For each class of the three-year laurea (L) and lauree specialistiche, the Ministry established: • the qualifying educational objectives and the subsequent essential teachings for each field
of study.
• the teachings are grouped as follows:
• teachings in one or more study areas related to basic education; • teachings in one or more areas typical of the class;
• teachings in one or more study areas similar or supplementary to the study areas typical of the field of studies,;
• teachings chosen by students;
• teachings aimed at the final examination to obtain the academic qualification and at the evaluation of the knowledge of a foreign language;
• further teachings aimed at improving linguistic knowledge, as well as skills relating to informatics and telematics, relational skills and any other skill useful to get into the labour market among which, in particular, training and guidance apprenticeships. Each study course can be subdivided into more branches providing specific curricula. Ministerial decrees establish the minimum number of credits destined to the various teach- ings and areas of study through teaching regulations, provided that the total amount of reserved credits don’t exceed 66%.
6.11.3. Postgraduate level
Choice of curricular subjects, study programs, number of hours or credits, etc., are also reg- ulated by each University regulations.