Department of Excellence - MIUR

The Department of Political and Social Science was awarded the title of “Department of Excellence” and received extraordinary funding of €8,100,000 from the Ministry of Education and University for a five-year development project that was among the 180 winners at a national level and among the six winners in Area 14 (Political and Social Sciences), as defined by the Italian National University Council (CUN).

The Project and Its Objectives

The development project aims to update and strengthen the research lines as well as to improve the teaching methods. The project aims to strengthen the process of internationalization of scientific relations and expand the international connections in the field of teaching. Special attention will be paid to the selection and training of young researchers and the dissemination of research results (Third Mission).

In view of the growing need for knowledge and skills in the area of political and social sciences at both national and international level (migration, poverty, international conflicts, technological and labour market revolution), upon completion of the project the department is expected to play an increasingly important role in Italy and abroad.


The Actions

Research

In order to enrich and update the department’s current knowledge, the project aims at recruiting researchers and lecturers capable of mastering and disseminating innovative methodological approaches, also in relation to non-European countries, cultures and institutions (area studies) and to the analysis of the political and social effects of new technologies.

Teaching

High-quality teaching will be provided through projects aimed at overcoming frontal teaching in favour of interactive forms of learning that promote student participation and are in line with the best international standards. By strengthening the collaboration with external partners and stakeholders, we intend to enhance a systematic analysis of the world of work and of emerging professions with the aim of updating and strengthening transversal skills, which are increasingly necessary, and the tools for developing critical and problem-solving capabilities.

Third Mission

Our department intends to consolidate and strengthen the policy effects of its activities on society by systematizing and institutionalizing its contribution to the public debate, with particular reference to media and the Web, so as to become a point of reference for fact-checking and the contextualization of current affairs as regards political and social issues.
The event Settimane dell’Eccellenza (Excellence Weeks) will be a very useful tool to invite students, colleagues and citizens to share and discuss the analyses and observations developed within the department's research groups.

Internationalization

With regard to internationalization, our actions involve the following: an international mobility programme – both incoming and outgoing; strengthening our PhD programme; upgrading our educational offer taught in English.

Logistics

The project envisages a gradual development of the logistics facilities in our premises so as to meet the goals of designing the teaching and organizing team-building events for internal human resources.


Schedule

2018-2020

  • Recruitment of five RTD-B researchers (at senior level, with a fixed-term employment contract), two associate professors and two employees for the technical-administrative staff
  • Reorganization and renovation of the Palazzo Hercolani offices
  • Extension of PhD scholarships to four years
  • Activation of visiting programmes, faculty mobility, internationalization of research results and conferences, development of research skills

2021

  • Creation of language, methodology and transversal skills laboratories in Master's degree programmes
  • Activation of a Summer School on the culture of innovation and of a doctoral Winter School
  • Settimane dell’Eccellenza (Excellence Weeks) planning