Italy Not Alone in Science System Woes

摘要

In the letter "open letter to senator Rita Levi-Montalcini" (21 March, p. 1615), R. Clementi et al. raise concerns regarding the paucity of long-term contracts among medical scientists in Italy. It is true that the nonmeritocratic system causes many young researchers to fail. The system is further jeopardized by the fact that those who do achieve a "professor" position can hold the position (with its financial guarantee) for years regardless of productivity. Professors can become "empty names"-they are hardly reachable and sometimes they are not even there. Even worse, there are no formal procedures to handle misconduct allegations in Italian universities.