The future of research in Italy: an indispensable reform

It is well known that Research is an engine of cultural, technological and economic development that is fundamental in the life of a country, whose competitiveness it fuels as few other internal levers can do. Despite the strength of this evidence, for decades our governments have neglected the role of science and research and the failures we have accumulated over the years are there for all to see: unsatisfactory overall performance of the country in the international context, number of researchers per million lowest population in Europe, “EU balance of payments in the research sector” with a largely negative balance, public investments among the lowest in the western world, human capital hemorrhage, unacceptable ranking of our universities (with few exceptions) and lack of attractiveness of the country for foreign investment.