University autonomy and structural constraints in the Italian system

We focus on two issues, which we believe are at the core of the ability of the Italian system to compete in the near future. The first regards the relation between strategic autonomy and multiple constraints imposed by the institutional system. We shall see how an increasing tension is damaging the ability of universities to grow. The second issue regards the management of academic resources, and the use made by universities of the power to hire and promote professors. This is a very interesting case of unexpected effects of a reform, and can give insights into the complexity of institutional adaptation. As in other chapters, we try to give a quantitative representation of these effects, using data at national level.