An academic career with obstacles

Citation preview

An academic career with obstacles Untold reasons to pursue a research career abroad

FILIPPO NERI

FILIPPO NERI

I edition - Copyright © 2019 Filippo Neri II edition - Copyright © 2023 Filippo Neri All rights reserved

ii

DEDICATION To the young researchers aspiring to study and work in Italy

FILIPPO NERI

iv

CONTENTS DEDICATION....................................................................iii CONTENTS........................................................................v PREFACE TO THE 2nd EDITION.......................................vii PREFACE..........................................................................ix 1 FILING AN APPEAL TO T.A.R. Piemonte AGAINST U.P.O.'s LACK OF ANSWER...............................................1 2 THE ACADEMIC MAFIA DOES NOT EXIST.......................6 3 THE PUBLICATIONS THAT NOBODY READS..................18 4 AFFILIATED, APATHETIC OR IMPERTINENT?................26 5 R&D IN STATE CONTROLLED OR PUBLIC COMPANIES. 30 6 IF THE ITALIAN INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY FOCUS ON LOW TECH......................................................................34 7 TWO ECONOMIC INDICATORS....................................38 8 AS SOON ONE LEAVES, THE BETTER............................42 9 COME ON, COME BACK! I'LL PROMISE YOU A TAX FREE LIFE.................................................................................47 10 ALWAYS USE YOUR CRITICAL SENSE!........................51 Author's Bio....................................................................54

NOME AUTORE

vi

PREFACE TO THE 2ND EDITION After a few years, I have decided to review, update, and correct the first edition of this book to try and provide an updated perspective on the untold and internal mechanisms governing the Italian Academy. Nothing has changed substantially from the time of the first edition except for some minor details. The inaction of public institutions, including the Judiciary and Political ones, in the face of what keeps happening within the Academy has certainly not helped. However, what I describe here is possible only due to the indifference of the ordinary people who, in various ways, accept that the balances of power remain unchanged, perhaps because they do not fully realize the anesthetizing effect on our critical thinking and the recessive impact on the economy that a non-functioning university systems has on all of us. After all for most people, it is enough to go home, collapse on the couch, watch the latest TV series on their smartphone while eating a slice of pizza brought on by some delivery service to believe that one is living in the best of all possible worlds. Bread and circuses. Panem and circenses. Yet, it is sufficient to take the prices, in real

FILIPPO NERI

terms, of the Italians' houses from 20 years ago and compare them with the current ones. The main investment of Italians has lost much of its initial value. An indication that the housing demand by people who want to 'live' in Italy is becoming increasingly less wealthy. In some medium-sized cities, even if they are provincial capitals, the exodus of young people towards larger metropolitan cities is increasingly evident. With the consequent abandonment and impoverishment of the whole territory. Yet, it would be enough that ordinary people (we are 60 million and many are graduates!) to say enough is enough and to organize themselves at the political level instead of always relying on the same groups of the same politicians who year after year sit in the Italian Parliament. A small dose of direct democracy (in a broad sense, I intend no reference to the any political party) could make a big difference in our future. Happy reading.

viii

PREFACE The book is aimed at young aspiring researchers studying in Italy who aspire to work in the Italian university system. Their families and all of us (Italian) citizens can also benefit from reading the book to gain a more precise idea of how our taxes are invested in the so-called research and higher scientific education. Beyond the advertising campaigns that paint a glossy but untrue picture of the employment prospects for young researchers in Italian universities. Just as in ancient maps, unexplored territory was marked with 'hic sunt leones,' this book aims to be a partial map of the Italian university environment and some of its operating mechanisms, which are little known outside its walls and are only discovered through direct experience or if someone with their direct knowledge narrates them. This book is a guide to the obstacles that punctuate the Italian academic career, a guide I wish I had read in the last year of my undergraduate studies when I chose to enroll in a doctoral research program, taking the first step in my academic career. The book is

FILIPPO NERI

based on my professional experience of two decades, first as a doctoral student and later as an associate professor in computer science. Unfortunately, in 1992, I knew nothing about what I describe in this map of academic career obstacles. Probably, if I had known what I describe here, I would have immediately moved abroad or chosen a different professional path. «» Here, I narrate only a small part of what I have seen. I will stay at a general level and, except in rare exceptions, refrain from mentioning specific facts and situations. I am more concerned with highlighting the underlying behavioral patterns than describing a specific situation. The motivation for this choice is that understanding the underlying behavior pattern will allow the reader to recognize similar situations that they might personally encounter, even if the specific details differ. It matters little, in my opinion, for those consulting this map, to know the details of a specific rigged competition (concorso truccato): names of winners, universities, committee members, procedures, conflicting minutes, etc. The judiciary should take care x

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

of this in an ideal world. Instead, it is more useful to understand the underlying pattern of 'gentlemen/gentlewomen(?) agreements' governing the outcome because it does not change over time and applies unchanged and 'successfully' to the many evaluation events encountered in one's academic career: from admission to a doctoral research program, to the selection for some research grants, to local or national tenure competitions, to competitions with a research and teaching profile, to the national scientific qualification exams, to the appointment of professors, to the appointment of professors in national committees, etc. «» From now on, I will address you, dear reader, using the informal 'you' for expressiveness but with the utmost respect for your critical intelligence. Please note that I will use the present tense of verbs to describe some situations in a prototypical and general way, even though, in my mind, I am referring to specific situations that occurred between 1992 and today. I know that what I describe might be difficult to believe for those who do not experience xi

FILIPPO NERI

the life of Italian universities from the inside and may shatter the illusions you have about academic life. If I may, I suggest you accept what is told here for what it is and keep this map handy if you embark on an academic path in Italy. You may happen to verify it firsthand. Knowing in advance the real mechanisms of the Italian university's functioning will allow you, if not to avoid all obstacles, at least to limit the professional and personal 'bruises' that result from direct experience of these situations. «» To whom this book is not addressed. This book has no utility for those who, through personal or professional relationships, belong to the circle of those who control the Italian University. Within every Italian department, it is known who the influential professors are and who their 'protected' ones are. Both the clan leaders and their affiliates are widely known. These latter individuals are unlikely to personally experience the situations I here describe, having already set their career path regardless of the work done or the results achieved. They are skilled and deserving by xii

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

divine right. And from the beginning. «» For all other readers, if I were to summarize the main message of this book in one sentence, I would say: if you want to become a researcher and have your professionalism recognized, buy a one-way ticket for abroad as soon as possible. Italy disrespects merit in every form and favors instead loyalty to cliques, clans, and fan bases. May it be a useful read!" «» Disclaimer "What is written in this book is solely and exclusively an expression of the author's personal opinion. The content here does not express or represent in any way the official stance of any university or other public or private organization, Italian or foreign, with which I am or have been associated in any form, whether professionally or otherwise. The descriptions provided here stem from my two decades of academic experience in the xiii

FILIPPO NERI

field of computer science, artificial intelligence, and experimental machine learning, which constitutes my research area. Therefore, in reading the book, what I describe should be understood in the context of the referenced research environment. However, I have reason to believe, based on personal conversations with colleagues from other fields, that similar experiences have occurred to many colleagues in various other research sectors. Most researchers remain silent about it, as it is evident.

xiv

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

xv

1 FILING AN APPEAL TO T.A.R. PIEMONTE AGAINST U.P.O.'S LACK OF ANSWER In 2008, the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Piemonte Orientale (U.P.O.) in Alessandria, where I was senior researcher for 11 years, refused to even consider to answer my request for advancement to an associate professorship. I believe that to be a unique event in the Italian academic history! I am not aware of any other cases in Italy where a Faculty abandons its proceedings

FILIPPO NERI

instead of discussing the request for promotion of one of its members to a higher position after one's has won a regular public competition for the role. It is noteworthy that all my faculty colleagues who had won a competition during the same period, got promoted within a few weeks after. "40 years" I am then forced to file an appeal with the Administrative Court of the Piedmont Region (TAR Piemonte) to demand that my right to a obtain a formal response be recognized, as stated by law but conveniently ignored by the Faculty Council. Eight years need to pass before the Judiciary System eventually comes to a decision on such simple matter. "48 years" In 2016, the Administrative Court of the Piedmont Region criticizes the behavior of the Faculty Council, reaffirms that a response on the matter is due, and orders the Faculty Council to provide an answer to my request. Justice is done! 2

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

Well, it not so easy. The functioning and effectiveness of Italian institutions are very different from what we see in movies. To begin with, as I said it took only 8 years to get a response from the Judiciary system. Not bad, huh? After 8 years, I won in court, but it is a purely bureaucratic victory without substance: the Faculty Council will have to provide an answer instead of abstaining. No member of the Faculty will be held accountable for this delay and the damages caused. In the meantime, I had to transfer to another university to avoid losing the possibility to become associate professor. After one has won a competition for the role but they are not hired by an university before 4 years are passed, they will lose the 'license' for the role and will have to redo a novel competition. Moving from Alessandria to Naples then. The beauty of Italy is that everything that I narrated and that happened is perfectly legal and no one is accountable. "50 years" 3

FILIPPO NERI

How did it end? In 2018, after various appeals and hearings, the TAR Piemonte finally ruled stating that the Faculty Council can make any decision it wants regarding my promotion. The disparity in treatment compared to my colleagues is not taken into consideration. "51 years" After 11 years, I am forced to initiate an appeal to the Council of State (the highest administrative court in the Italian legal system) to possibly get Justice on the matter. Eventually the Council of State rules that everything is fine as it happened. The Faculty Council can indeed respond but is not obliged to promote me to a higher position, as long as the motivation is defect free according to the administrative law. The research results that I presented in my cv and the fact that I was the only senior researcher not promoted are irrelevant to the Administrative Judiciary and the Council of State which declares it only assess the formal administrative regularity of the latest decision produced by the Faculty Council.

4

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

My academic career is more akin to an obstacle course than a cursus honorum. "" Where am I today? In 2008, I become an associate professor at the University of Naples Federico II. My personal life built on working at Alessandria is destroyed. "" Can my experience begin to provide some clues about the actual functioning of the Italian academic system? Can it perhaps provide a hint of the real effectiveness of the institutions responsible for overseeing universities: the Ministry of University and Research and the Judiciary system? Imagine yourself in the described situation; are you sure it's worth pursuing a career in research in Italy?

5

FILIPPO NERI

2 THE ACADEMIC MAFIA DOES NOT EXIST "Entrare a far parte della mafia equivale a convertirsi a una religione. Non si cessa mai di essere preti. Né mafiosi." "Joining the mafia is equivalent to converting to a religion. One never ceases to be a priest. Nor a mafioso." Giovanni Falcone

Imagine yourself in this situation: you have worked and done research for 10 years, with numerous publications, international fellowships, leading international research projects, working in international research centers, presenting your work at international conferences, organizing international conferences, teaching at 6

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

multiple universities, and more. You rightfully believe that you deserve to be promoted to a professorship. You apply for a position, and the evaluation committee (Commissione) declares another candidate with a less impressive curriculum as the winner. They might state, at their discretion: a) that your research is not relevant to the competition profile or field, b) that your publications are methodologically flawed or of lesser scientific value without providing any explanation, c) that the fellowships you obtained are not prestigious enough, d) that the research centers where you worked are not on par with Harvard. However, if you had gone to Harvard, they would argue that you did not attend Stanford, e) or make up any reason as they please. Don't take it personally. Chi ha dato a dato, chi ha avuto ha avuto. In Italy, it's normal. And above all, perfectly legal. Let me explain how it works. «»

7

FILIPPO NERI

In the majority of cases, university competitions are announced with the winner already in mind, and other candidates are just there for the show – after all, it's a competition, it is supposed that more that one candidate would apply, appearances matter. The icing on the cake is that none of the competition committee members face any legal consequences. Unless a criminal, in the sense of an infringement on the penal code, offense can be proven. Good luck! Even if you win an administrative appeal, after years, a new committee will be formed to reassess you. Probably with another negative outcome. But let's assume that the new committee, years later, acknowledges that you deserve to win the competition. Do you think they will give you the professorship? No. The university just needs to say that there's no longer funding for the professorship position. Or the Faculty Council can decide not to appoint you without providing any explanation. And the game is over. File an administrative appeal again if you don't like it. 8

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

Has this happened to someone you know? «» In some cases, you may be approached by an academic "boss" (an professor with academic influence) who takes you aside and says, "Come on, dear candidate, can't you understand that after so many years, there's no interest at all in having you in the faculty? Stop bothering with these appeals. Or I swear you'll never become a professor anywhere in Italy as long as I'm have a shred of influence!" At this point, you're in quite a difficult situation. "I can't believe what you (the author) are saying", you are probably thinking. Okay, want to bet? If you're willing to bet that no Rector of an Italian university would ever think, even remotely, of making such a statement – which seems like a threat to me, thus a crime – well, then you just lost the bet. An incident like this was reported in national newspapers. And promptly forgotten by the 9

FILIPPO NERI

press and the public within a couple of days. «» In my opinion, the system of university competitions is managed, in many cases, in ways that seem to mirror, from the perspective of an ordinary citizen like me, the operations of criminal organizations with a mafia-like structure: a) intimidation of troublesome candidates to withdraw their applications from competitions. b) pre-determination of the winner based on personal or professional relationships. c) absolute lack of will and objective incapacity to evaluate the candidates' curricula. d) exercise of influence at the legislative and institutional levels: 1) to increase the autonomy (read: arbitrariness) of university affairs and 2) to protect the arbitrariness of decisions made by competition committees (non-reviewability of the judgment expressed by the committee). e) arbitrary use of public funds (the winner's salary or various research funds) for personal gain (expanding one's network of power and influence by placing a loyal but undeserving 10

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

person in a given position). f) commerce of influence: agreements between professors from different universities to control the careers of junior professors by pre-determining the outcomes of competitions. «» With these warnings, pay attention to the occasional articles that appear in the national press, and you can verify them for yourself. «» At this point, a flood of outraged university professors may want to defend the Italian university system, using the tired excuse that "perhaps, and it's all yet to be proven, there may be a few bad apples, but the Italian university system is sound and clean". To these colleagues, I respond that to make a competition valid, rigged or not, a large number of professors must agree or be distracted repeatedly. Before announcing a competition, the profile to be associated with it is established (read: 11

FILIPPO NERI

tailoring the competition to fit the predestined candidate, these are the wellknown tailored competitions). This decision is made through a majority vote of all members of a department council. Then the competition committee (five professors, four from other universities and theoretically independent) must reach an agreement on the winner. Planning the composition of committees and the reciprocal agreements among committee members involve obscure arts learned only through experience a oral tradition. Finally, the appointment of the winner must be approved by a new majority vote of the members of the department where the winner will serve. This sequence of collegial decisions, it seems to me, makes it quite challenging to argue that if there are bad apples, they are more unique than rare. Evidently, there must be a majority in all collegial decisions. It follows that if the competition is rigged, then the majority is rotten or silently complicit. Forget about rare bad apples! «» The

other

often

forgotten 12

fact

when

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

reflecting on the real power and control structures of the university is that a few academic godfathers (senior professors with influence), known to all, can control the votes of an entire department due to their ability to favor or oppose the careers of individual professors. The flip side is that within the university system, silence reigns supreme. People stay silent in order to affiliate with one of the clans in power so they can reap personal benefits, or they are silent out of fear of personal retaliation. «» Please note that I do not believe and do not intend to say that all university competitions are rigged. I believe that many of them are. If you are outside the clan system, you only realize it in some cases and when the game is already over. Proving manipulations with the necessary detail to file a complaint is very difficult, if not impossible. «» But why doesn't anyone intervene? The Judiciary? Or the Ministry of University and 13

FILIPPO NERI

Research? Good question! We've been talking about rigged competitions for over 50 years to my memory. For completeness, I wish to report the news about the opening of an investigation by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Florence, which led to the identification of a network of contacts between university professors from various Italian universities with the aim, it seems, of controlling the outcomes of even national-level competitions. There are 45 professors under investigation. I don't know the outcome of the investigation. After reporting the news, the press usually loses interest and doesn't follow the developments over time. In the case of the investigation, it seems like we're in an Italian comedy from the 70s: maps of Italy indicating 'power zones' in different colors and the career paths of various 'affiliates' were allegedly found. In short, an academic game of Risiko. I believe this investigation only touches the tip of the iceberg in terms of the extent of the university mafia. 14

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

It could be a start. «» So did we solved the problem? After all, the bad guys have been arrested, one might naively think. It's not so. At the time of the news, we are only talking about suspects. A trial will have to be held. I don't know the outcome of the investigation or the trial, as I mentioned. I do not even know if the trial took place. But one is innocent until a final verdict is reached by the judiciary. If you're thinking it will take years to arrive at some confirmed truth about the phenomenon of rigged competitions in Italian universities, you are likely right. Thinking by analogy, in the case of the mafia, even the arrest of a whole clan doesn't eradicate the mafia as a whole. The arrest of a clan simply frees up space for the expansion of the remaining clans in freedom. Therefore, more skilled and dangerous. It's an uphill battle. "To make you smile, I point out some 'miraculous' academic figures present in the Italian university system: 15

FILIPPO NERI

a) full professors in a field (e.g., Computer Science) who graduated in a completely different field. Like putting a geologist in charge of an operating room. b) full professors without a Ph.D. degree. After all, what's the point of learning to do research? Better to cultivate one's network of relationships. c) recent graduates becoming tenured university researchers even before completing their Ph.D. program. d) full professors from points a) and b) appearing in one competition committee after the another. That is, deciding who will be part of the next generation of university professors. e) computer science professors who struggle to turn on a PC and have never written a functioning program in their lives. Well, what's the use? Needless to say, they are among the most influential professors in their respective universities. These academic figures are a sociologist dream: they are social bulldozers, nothing 16

UNA CARRIERA ACCADEMICA AD OSTACOLI

stops them, they can go where they want, yet they can't do anything except managing power. And in Italy, that's all it takes. In almost every job sector.

17

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

3 THE PUBLICATIONS THAT NOBODY READS They will tell you many times during your journey as a young researcher in Italy how important scientific publications and their quality are. That there are prestigious and non-prestigious journals. They will say that your chances of promotion, or whether you will be allocated research funds, or whether you will receive an award, all depend on the 19

FILIPPO NERI

quality of your publications. And yet... «» More than 20 thousand scientific articles are published worldwide each year in the field of computer science alone. Who could possibly read them all? No one. If no one can read all the published articles, how is it possible to give a judgment on their content: excellent, good, sufficient, or insufficient? It is evident that such an endeavor is physically impossible. Will scientific impossibility ever stop the bold Italian professors from using the narrative that only those with excellent publications can be promoted, awarded, or appointed as research directors? Certainly not! After a few years, one realizes that, purely by coincidence, those who must be promoted always have excellent publications. How can this be explained? The three possible answers are: Nobel Prize, miracle, or 'fake'?

20

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

Given the absence of Nobel laureates among Italian clan leaders, I would opt for 'fake.' «» The scandalous truth is that publishing an article in a scientific journal does not validate nor confer any authority to the research described therein. I repeat: the publication in a scientific journal does not attest in any way to the scientific validity of the content of the article nor confirm the results described in it. In fact, the publication of an article in a journal occurs following a 'review' process (the so-called Peer Review), which usually lasts a couple of months, during which two or three anonymous researchers 'read' the submitted article. The verb 'read' should be taken literally: reviewers read the text of the article but do not conduct any independent verification of the research or the experimental results described. No reviewer has the time, will, energy, and, above all, the expertise to replicate the experiments described and independently verify, i.e., redo, the research described. It 21

FILIPPO NERI

would take months to acquire the specialized skills needed to review an article! The same skills that the author usually developed over years while delving into a particular research line. In the case of articles reporting experimental research, reviewers should replicate step by step all the empirical experiments presented by the author and compare the experimental results obtained with those presented by the author. Moreover, before undertaking experimental verification, reviewers should study the entire state of the art related to the topic. But do you remember that more than 20 thousand articles are published each year in the field of computer science alone? Only after this considerable work could the reviewer finally state that a) the content of the article is scientifically valid and express their opinion that b) the content of the article contains elements of innovation and originality or not, in their opinion. However, the reviewer could not express any absolute quality assessment. In the best case, each of them may be an expert in the narrow field of their readings and knowledge, which may amount to about two hundred scientific articles studied (not just read) in the last 10 22

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

years. If we are lucky in finding a competent reviewer. In reality, more prosaically, reviewers usually have a couple of months to express an opinion on an article submitted for publication, but the time they dedicate to its reading is only a few days. In fact, the reviewing activity is additional to their other work activities: teaching, conducting exams, pursuing their research, and other administrative tasks. Therefore, the evaluation made by the reviewer is done 'by feeling'. A very superficial evaluation limited to the reading a text. But if a scientific article is evaluated like a literary work, i.e., based solely on the exposition, then its publication cannot in any way validate its scientific quality. Even expressing a judgment solely on the authenticity of the presented results becomes impossible. «» In the best case, the review judgment, therefore, has the same subjectivity as a literary review when honestly written by an independent and honest reviewer. In

most

cases,

however, 23

the

judgment

FILIPPO NERI

depends on the relationships between the author and the editorial board of the journal. Take a one-minute break as you reread the last paragraph. «» Maybe the author and one of the editors met a few months ago at the conference associated with the journal and talked about the possibility of publishing the article in the journal? Or the author promised to visit or has been a guest in the laboratory of one of the editors? Or the author offered to take care of all the organization of the next conference of the journal and will invite the scientific editor who has to review their article as an Invited Speaker? Or who knows what other form of direct or indirect relationship exists. In short, in most cases, the publication of an article in a journal is only an indication that the author is well-accepted within a specific scientific community. It is an indication of having developed good social and professional relationships with the group of researchers who control the journal. «» 24

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

This is the reason why some authors publish in some journals and not in others. It has nothing to do with the quality of the authors' research activity but only with the network of contacts that everyone develops over time. If an author submits an article to a journal without having done the preparatory relational work, the evaluation of their article will first be delayed by months and then, in the best case, will be carried out randomly. Also, keep in mind that an article submitted to a journal cannot be under evaluation by another at the same time. There is an obligation of submission exclusivity. So an article submitted to a journal without preparatory relational work risks being blocked for a whole year before knowing that it is rejected for publication with debatable reasons. At this point, it has become 'old' and must be updated before being able to send it to another journal for a new publication attempt. It can take more than two years before an article is published without relying on one's network of contacts. «»

25

FILIPPO NERI

In the first year of my Ph.D. program, I believed that the members of the editorial boards of journals and conferences were world-class super-experts with an encyclopedic knowledge of the state of the art in the field. I was so enthusiastic and blinded by the prospect of becoming a researcher that I didn't even ask myself how reviewers could verify the experiments I had done over more than a year in just a couple of months. «» If the publication in any scientific journal is unable to provide even any proof of the scientific validity of the article, then it is absurd to think that comparing two articles or two journals can establish their mutual superiority. «» All of this, of course, does not concern the Italian academic godfathers in the least, who, thanks to the narrative of the ranking of scientific publications, can distract, as great illusionists do, from the maneuvers to make a favored or disliked candidate win or lose.

26

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

4 AFFILIATED, APATHETIC OR IMPERTINENT? After a few years in the Italian university system, you realize you have three choices: either affiliate with a clan, focus on your work while pretending not to see what's happening around you (apathetic), or distance yourself within the limits of your capabilities (impertinent). Apathetic and impertinent individuals are isolated and tend to encounter numerous obstacles in their academic journey. Rarely do they become full professors unless in their late career. 27

FILIPPO NERI

«» Academic clan: a group of academics led by an influential full professor (the 'leader' or 'godfather'), including associates, researchers, post-docs, and doctoral students, taking coordinate action to expand their influence inside the academic system. «» The majority of university professors are affiliated with a clan, taking or giving orders depending on their hierarchical position within it. Clan membership allows for a relatively smooth academic career path: you get in line and wait for your turn for advancement. «» How to recognize a faculty member likely affiliated with a clan: a faculty member who has had a rapid career, never publishing alone but always with an influential full professor, lacking international work experience, and consistently working in the same university where they graduated is likely part of a clan. 28

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

«» If you are apathetic or impertinent, it's entirely random to get your work recognized and be promoted. By 'random,' I mean that the best opportunities are all pre-assigned and shared among the clans, but occasionally, opportunities arise that none of the clans are interested in. Perhaps because it requires relocating from one end of Italy to another or to a location that is not easily accessible via public transport. In these positions, you can compete on an equal footing with other 'isolated' faculty members. So, be careful about what I mean by the adjective 'random': you have some chance with positions rejected by the clans! «» Abroad, it's completely different. Some say. Note: Even in foreign universities, cliquish mechanisms exist, as unfortunately seen in Italy. Human nature is the same worldwide. It's true that the broader international academic job market allows for relatively easier advancement compared to the closed Italian environment. However, it's 29

FILIPPO NERI

challenging to determine whether the international academic job market is genuinely meritocratic or simply hungry for new researchers in general. Also, keep in mind that the older you are professionally and physically when entering the foreign job market, the less likely you are to be welcomed.

30

5 R&D IN STATE CONTROLLED OR PUBLIC COMPANIES After reading the previous pages, you might think that, thanks to the high level of expertise you acquired during your Ph.D. program, at the age of 28, you'll be able to find a job as a researcher anywhere, even outside academia. «» I believed that too! However, over the years, I discovered that most Italian companies, whether public or private, large or mediumsized, lack a research and development division. Of course, they might have a golden sign on some office door that says Research and Development Division. How important is 31

FILIPPO NERI

it to make a good impression in Italy (fare bella figura), right? But employees in these sections rarely hold a Ph.D. degree, and the section is not led by senior researchers. In short, research is not conducted in Italy. Therefore, there's no need to hire Ph.D. graduates or researchers. If you don't believe me, scroll through job listings. Or count how many companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Airbnb, etc., exist in Italy. «» **"Italian Ingenuity"** A recent alternative to the academic path or other public research institutes seems to be using a Ph.D. degree as a qualification to compete with graduates who want to teach in middle and high schools. However, this seems more like a fallback option than the realization of the dream that drives a recent graduate when deciding to pursue a Ph.D degree. Unfortunately,

in

Italy, 32

there

are

few

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

alternative paths for a researcher if you exclude public research institutions and universities. «» The other factor you must consider is that, at the age of 28, when you complete your Ph.D. program, you are considered old, according to the standards of human resources officers, to be hired by an Italian company for your first job. You will even struggle to get a job interview. On one hand, you are seen as an unemployed slacker who has been on vacation for four years (your PhD studies); it's unlikely that an Italian company would be interested in your ability to write scientific articles. And on this point, they are correct! On the other hand, there are recent graduates at the age of 24 who are more adaptable (that's the right term) and have more energy than you. Whom would you choose to perform a repetitive job that doesn't require experience or significant skills, such as the one offered as the first job in Italian companies? The mantra is: replaceability of the worker. There are offers for experienced personnel, you might think. True, but it's not the 33

FILIPPO NERI

experience of a Ph.D graduate. they are looking for. Take a look at job listings. Always verify in person. «» Full disclosure: I have worked in the research and development centers of two foreign multinational companies and collaborated with Italian companies. I have direct experience in both the Italian and foreign research environments.

34

6 IF THE ITALIAN INDUSTRY AND ECONOMY FOCUS ON LOW TECH... If there is no private Italian large industry hiring researchers because it aims to develop innovative high-tech products and applies the results of their research, then the entire ecosystem where a researcher can build their future is missing. In your journey as a researcher, you will often hear that Italy doesn't invest enough in research, that research is not a cost but an investment, and that there is a need to 35

FILIPPO NERI

'produce' (a telling choice of terminology!) more graduates and researchers, etc. All these slogans are far from the reality or the Italian political choices of recent decades. Moreover, none of these arguments addresses the heart of the problem: the absence of a national industrial policy oriented towards high-tech sectors. Research activity in thriving regions worldwide exists for a specific reason: because there are industrial sectors facing new problems and wanting to solve them. Hence the need to hire researchers, both in academia and industry, and the necessity to use research results to create innovative high-tech products. Two quick examples: How often do you use Amazon or e-commerce services in a year? Ask yourself where and why this business model was born and then exported worldwide. Where are autonomous driving cars being invented? Certainly not in Turin at Mirafiori! This value chain formed by universityindustry-market creates the favorable ecosystem for the development of a research 36

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

environment where researchers are sought after and appreciated. Consider what happens in Silicon Valley for computer scientists... These observations also apply to many other fields of science and engineering. Still, I am convinced, here I am taking a stance, that they create favorable conditions even for flourishing research activity in the humanities. «» I don't want to debate here the reasons for the absence of any type of national industrial policy in Italy. But, as I have said, just to provide some food for critical thought if you are considering embarking on your research path in Italy. It is clear, however, that in the absence of the value chain university-industry-market, research activity becomes an unnecessary expense. And no rational economic actor wants to support an unnecessary expense, from the government to Italian (micro) businesses. This is what happens in Italy and is the reason why the proclamations of politicians on the subject of research are not 37

FILIPPO NERI

followed by actions. I suggest this simple mental exercise: the next time you leave your house, consider the work done by all the people you meet and ask yourself for each of these jobs whether a Ph.D. degree is necessary or a high school diploma is more than sufficient. You can assess for yourself if the environment you are in facilitates and recognizes the performance of research activities. «» Italy is an economy operating at a 'minimum' level. Like when you start a car, put it in neutral, and don't press the accelerator pedal: the engine is indeed running, but at that operating level, you can only go downhill. The other great secret, which is not perceived when you are young, is that your personal success depends on the success of those around you and, to an equal extent, on the envy your success arouses in others.

38

7 TWO ECONOMIC INDICATORS I'm sorry, I'm not interested. I want to be a researcher in chemistry - you might say - I don't want to deal with economics. Let the politicians take care of it; they are elected for this. In an ideal world, you would be right. In the real world, my experience tells me that understanding a bit about how the economy works is fundamental to get a real idea of the current and future situation of a country. I wouldn't be able nor want to write a treatise on economics. I just want to give you an idea of how I assess the economic health of a country because it is both a symptom 39

FILIPPO NERI

and an indication of the current and future quality of its research ecosystem. I believe that two simple economic indicators are more than enough to form an idea about a country's actual ability to offer good prospects to the young (researchers and nonresearchers) and how well a country can leverage and reward its citizens' capabilities by generating wealth, which translates into received salaries. The two economic indicators I periodically observe are: the Youth Unemployment Rate and the Performance of its stock market. As of February 2019, here's what I see comparing Italy with the USA: a) Youth Unemployment Rate: Italy about 30% and the USA around 9%. b) Stock market performance in the last 5 and 10 years: for Italy, the FTSE MIB has a horizontal trend; for the USA, the S&P 500 has an upward trend. Indicator a) provides a clue about the ease of finding a job for a young person (researcher and non-researcher) and the level of offered 40

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

salaries. The higher the unemployment rate, the lower the entry-level salaries across all industrial sectors. Indicator b) provides indications of a country's industrial complex's ability to generate wealth (read salaries and taxes). Which country better utilizes its research capabilities between the two considered? Together, these two indicators signal the functioning level of an economy as a whole and indirectly the quality of its research ecosystem. That's why I suggest keeping an eye on them over the years.

41

FILIPPO NERI

8 AS SOON ONE LEAVES, THE BETTER Why is it better to go abroad as soon as possible? "I would rather do my Ph.D. program in Italy first and maybe spend a year on a research grant," you might say - so you can gain some experience. The reason it's better to leave as soon as possible is that research institutions in different countries have different progression rules, and wherever you go, you need to work your way up to advance in your career. The earlier you start, the better. Typically, it's easier to get career advancements or salary increases abroad, and promotions are 42

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

directly related to the achieved results! In a bit more detail, the reasons to leave as soon as possible are: a) Career progression is a path with a beginning, an intermediate tract, and a destination that is achieved by moving through the various levels of a researcher's career progression: post-doc, assistant professor, lecturer/reader, associate professor, and professor, for example. If you interrupt your career path to move, it's not guaranteed that you can resume it at the same level in the new institute. Usually, the destination institute, especially if located in a different country, offers you a lower initial level to put you to the test. b) Creation of emotional and family ties. When you are married or have young children to take care of, it's not easy to move from one country or even just from one city to another. It's not always easy for your spouse to find a new job in the destination city. A move, however well-organized, is still traumatic for the spouse who has to leave their job. The same consideration applies to any children who have to change schools.

43

FILIPPO NERI

c) The older you get, the fewer transfer opportunities you encounter. The number of post-doc positions is greater than the number of assistant professor positions, which in turn is greater than the number of associate professor positions and so on. So, the more you seek a position at an advanced level in the academic career path, the fewer chances you have of finding it through international mobility. And then, objectively speaking, how can your application be better than that of a local candidate who, with a similar professional background, speaks the language better and knows the local working environment? d) Mindset. Everyone ages, unfortunately. At 40, do you still feel capable of adapting to a new culture (German, French, English, or American) with the role and salary of an assistant professor? You would be the oldest among all your colleagues at the same level. You would have to overcome a very heavy psychological and physiological adaptation shock, and you would inevitably be at a disadvantage in terms of intellectual energy and work capacity compared to a 25-year-old colleague who moved earlier or a young local researcher. Sad, but that's how it is.

44

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

Check with your own eyes, browse the available job offers abroad online for your field. «» March 2019, a proposal by the Italian government appeared in a national newspaper to dismiss Italian researchers who have not obtained the position of associate or full professor within 5 years after winning a public competition for the role. My opinion, it's a scandalous political choice. It's clear that the medium-term goal of the Italian government is to create a university controlled by a few professors (the godfathers) and make everyone else precarious. Precarious workers are extremely obedient. In Italy, the figure of the 'disposable' researcher is emerging, just as it has happened in the last 10 years for many other job roles. Is Italy still a country where an aspiring researcher can think of planning their life?

45

FILIPPO NERI

46

9 COME ON, COME BACK! I'LL PROMISE YOU A TAX FREE LIFE

BANZAI! Operetta in three acts: escape, return, and swindle of the 'brains on the run' (cervelli in fuga) "Act 1: the prelude" For some years now, the Italian government, in order to stem the exodus of thousands of graduates from Italy, the so-called "Brains on the run," has implemented various measures to encourage the so-called 'return' of these fleeing brains. All very effective! As you well know. One of these measures involves the promise 47

FILIPPO NERI

of tax exemption for the incomes of researchers returning from abroad for the first few years after their return. "Act 2: some years ago" At least 13 researcher-samurai-kamikazes, but probably more, believe in the promise... "Act 3: a few years later" In 2019, the 13 researchers, now turned tax evaders and kamikazes of their own academic careers, receive a letter from the Revenue Agency demanding payment of unpaid taxes for all the years since their return to Italy. Here in Italy, taxes must be paid! And in some cases, the Revenue Agency also demands payment of penalties for tax evasion. The 13 naive kamikazes are now tax evaders in every respect. They are probably the only Italian tax evaders who communicated with the Revenue Agency years in advance, expressing their intention not to pay taxes by adhering to the government's measure. In the meantime, they have also become researcher-kamikazes: they interrupted a career perspective abroad to return, some on 48

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

temporary positions, with the hope of earning a few more euros and having a dazzling and explosive career in Italy as Returning Brains. Credit must be given to the Italian government for keeping its promise regarding their 'explosive' career. The 13 kamikazes will have to pay amounts ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 euros between evaded taxes and penalties. Finally, we have found out who is responsible for the cuts to the Italian social welfare, healthcare, and the potholes in the roads! The mockery beyond the damage: the 13 researcher-kamikazes are forced to send a public letter to the Minister of Education to ask him to keep his promises. Or at least to grant them clemency and not force them to commit harakiri. Perhaps secretly, they have also already requested a visa for a country that has no extradition agreements with Italy. ""

49

FILIPPO NERI

Have you heard the news, or did it go unnoticed? I don't know how it all ended. But just imagine finding yourself in this situation. "" A small note: the chapter is ironic and should be read with a bit of humor. However, I am well aware and deeply respect the human and personal drama of these 13 colleagues, to whom I extend my best wishes for a prompt and favorable resolution of this evident bureaucratic error. As you have understood, the irony is not directed at the 13 fellow researchers, to whom I say 'Good luck!' in the hope that their situation is resolved as soon as possible with the respect of the agreements made by the Government.

50

10 ALWAYS USE YOUR CRITICAL SENSE! So, ultimately, is it advisable to leave Italy as soon as possible if you want to pursue a career as a researcher? Yes, unfortunately, I believe so. But remember always to make a decision with your own judgment and not to be influenced by others, not even by this book. Gather as much information as you can from multiple sources before making such an important decision. Everyone's life is made up of personal and individual choices. With this book, I just wanted to provide you with insights into some obstacles you might encounter if you decide to embark on a researcher's path in Italy. It's up to you to become aware, at your own pace, of what I have described and make a decision on how you want to shape your life. 51

FILIPPO NERI

"The Call of the Sirens" Imagine yourself abroad, as an assistant professor. It's Sunday morning, and you're sipping an espresso at your favorite local Italian coffee shop (rigorously!) while reading in an Italian newspaper that a new reform of the Italian university and research system will be approved soon, offering excellent career opportunities and various incentives to encourage the return of young researchers like yourself. This is what you've been waiting for! After all these years of sacrifices, you can finally make a triumphant return to Italy. Don't be fooled by promises of miraculous reforms. If you've followed Italian politics for a while, you may have noticed that reforms tend to be promotional spots serving the next election campaign. Remember the story of researchers becoming tax evaders and the constant increase in the precariousness of research personnel in recent years. To change the Italian university, there is only one solution: uproot the academic mafia. Let's be honest: it's an almost impossible event. I don't think either you or I will 52

AN ACADEMIC CAREER WITH OBSTACLES

witness this change in our lifetime. When you hear about university reforms, remember that Italy is the land of The Gattopardo (T. di Lampedusa): "everything needs to change so that everything can stay the same." If you decide to return because you miss Italy or want to be close to your elderly parents or for other personal reasons, be honest with yourself about the situation you will find upon your return and plan your life accordingly. You will avoid future regrets for yourself or your family. Good luck with everything! Filippo Neri

53

54

TITOLO DEL LIBRO

AUTHOR'S BIO Filippo Neri is an associate professor at an Italian university and unveils a map of the hidden academic obstacles on pursuing a career in research based on his twenty years of experience in the field of experimental computer science research. He has conducted research activities at both private and public international institutes. Despite being an associate professor for many years, he has faced multiple rejections in university competitions for a full professorship, particularly at universities where he aims to transfer. The reader might want to take heed of his cautionary tale. «»o«» An Academic Career with Obstacles untold reasons to pursue a research career abroad II edition The Guide to Hidden Obstacles in the Italian academic career path that every aspiring 55

FILIPPO NERI

researcher must be aware of. And that every Italian citizen can read about both to understand how the Italian university system is truly managed and to form an opinion on how our taxes are spent in the field of higher education and research.

56