A PROPOSAL TO IMITATE THE OXFORD TITLE OF DISTINCTION PROMOTIONS IN ITALY
Dear Friends,
further to the various proposals about italian universities, and the discussion with Alan Ponter, I think a good solution to suggest to the Italian Government, with zero cost, and advantage of being already in place from the 1990's in Oxford Universities, with similar motivations, is to imitate the TITLE OF DISTINCTION PROMOTIONS.
In my blog you find the italian version,
http://rettorevirtuoso.blogspot.com/2012/02/proposta-di-istituzione-di-t...
but the reference is the following
In the United Kingdom, the Republic
of Ireland, and
most Commonwealth countries (but not Canada), traditionally, a professor held either an
established chair or a personal chair. An established chair is established by
the university to meet their needs for academic leadership and standing in a
particular area or discipline and the post is filled from a shortlist of
applicants; only a suitably qualified person will be appointed. A personal
chair is awarded specifically to an individual in recognition of their high
levels of achievements and standing in their particular area or discipline. In
most universities, professorships are reserved for only the most senior
academic staff, and other academics are generally known as 'lecturers', 'senior lecturers' and 'readers' (in some Commonwealth countries
such as Australia and New Zealand, the title 'Associate Professor' can be used
instead of 'Reader'[5]). In some countries, senior lecturers are
generally paid the same as readers, but the latter is awarded primarily for
research excellence, and traditionally carries higher prestige. A few UK
universities have recently begun using the Australian terminology, with both
"Senior Lecturers" and "Readers" now being called
"Associate Professors." Traditionally, Heads of Departments and other
senior academic leadership roles within a university were undertaken by
professors.[6]
During the 1990s, however,
the University
of Oxford
introduced Titles
of Distinction,
enabling their holders to be termed professors or readers while holding
academic posts at the level of lecturer. The University
of Exeter and University
of Warwick have
adopted the antipodean style of 'associate
professor' in lieu
of 'reader'. The varied practices these changes have brought about has meant
that academic ranks in the United Kingdom are no longer quite as consistent as
they once were. The same trend to move towards the North American system is
also observed in the former British colony of Hong Kong. Academic ranks there
are now becoming more consistent again, with The University of Hong Kong, the
oldest university in the territory, having switched to the North American
system.
In general the title of
'Professor' is reserved for full professors; lecturers and readers are properly
addressed by their academic qualification (Dr for a PhD DPhil etc. and Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms otherwise).
In Australia, New Zealand and Singapore associate professors are by courtesy
addressed as "Professor". In official functions, however, Associate
Professors are addressed as Dr or Associate Professors and not Professors. As
in the USA, the title of 'professor emeritus' may be awarded to a retired or former
professor, who may well retain formal or informal links with the institution
where the chair was formerly held.
- Mike Ciavarella's blog
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in particular, see how it works in Oxford in details
For example, for Professor, the criterion is
(a) The primary criterion is that research must be of outstanding
quality, have led to a significant international reputation, and be comparable in distinction
with that expected of a professor in other major research universities.
The definition of 'research' to be followed is that used in research assessment exercises,
i.e.: 'research' is to be understood as original investigation undertaken in order to gain
knowledge and understanding. It includes work of direct relevance to the needs of commerce
and industry, as well as to the public and voluntary sectors; scholarship; the invention and
generation of ideas, images, performances, and artefacts, including design, where these lead
to new or substantially improved insights; and the use of existing knowledge in experimental
development to produce new or substantially improved materials, devices, products, and
processes, including design and construction. It excludes routine testing and analysis of
materials, components, and processes, e.g. for the maintenance of national standards, as
distinct from the development of new analytical techniques.
(b) (i) Where an applicant is a member of the academic staff of the
University, he or she must have undertaken undergraduate and/or graduate teaching for the
University, and for colleges, concomitant with the duties of the university post and of the
college fellowship (where one is held), and such teaching must have been performed well.
Particular flair in teaching or in contributions to teaching would strengthen the case for the
title. An outstanding contribution to teaching could compensate for a lesser contribution to
high-level research. Applicants must also have demonstrated a regular willingness to
contribute to the academic community by involvement in University and college
administration
and to have demonstrated competence in such administration. A notable contribution to
college administration could compensate for a lesser contribution to university administration
and vice versa, provided that contributions on both sides have been satisfactory.
(ii) Where an applicant is not a member of the University's academic staff, he or she
must have demonstrated a regular and sustained commitment to the University (e.g. in
teaching or administration) beyond the prosecution of high quality research.
In all cases, in accordance with the University's equal opportunities aims, account will
be taken of factors which might have affected an individual's performance during the time
under review, thus making the contribution to research, in particular, smaller in quantity (but
not in quality) than would otherwise have been expected.
Michele Ciavarella, Politecnico di BARI - Italy, Rector's delegate.
http://poliba.academia.edu/micheleciavarella
more remarks and systems
https://eng.ucmerced.edu/people/abardini/abardini/dm_fis/doc/discussion/distinction/distinction
http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/01/17/1782855/learn-the-distinctions-in...
regards, if you have any links please update me.
Ciavarella, Politecnico di BARI - Italy, Rector's delegate.
http://poliba.academia.edu/micheleciavarella
but most importantly, the new oxford documents combined pay
http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/2009-10/supps/1_4915.pdf
please read carefully, this we can do already now in Italy although it is the latest in Oxford...
the histrical reasons in the 1990s are here
http://www.ox.ac.uk/gazette/supps/9495/1_4356.pdf
nice document to read.