Università Mediterranea : scientific research as a driver of growth and the future of the region.
VQR 20/24 data and the impact of the PRIN and PRIN PNRR 2022 projects were presented. A day of strategic discussion between governance, departments, ANVUR, MUR, and international experts.
A well-attended day of strategic importance for the University's academic and scientific future was held in the Quistelli Aula Magna at the Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria. The event, titled Mediterranea Research Scenarios. Evaluation of VQR 20/24 and Impact of PRIN and PRIN PNRR 2022 Projects , provided a thorough and rigorous assessment of research activities, analyzing the current state of the art and defining guidelines for future growth, innovation, and economic and social impact scenarios for the regional and metropolitan area.
The day saw the active involvement of the University's top management, the Directors and Delegates of the five Departments, supported by authoritative representatives of national institutions and international experts.
Research quality and the results of the 2020-2024 VQR evaluation
The proceedings opened with a session entirely dedicated to Research Quality Evaluation (VQR 2020-2024). After institutional greetings from the Rector, Giuseppe Zimbalatti , Valter Brancati , Director of ANVUR and member of the University's Evaluation Committee (NdV), highlighted the value of systematically comparing quality parameters and scientific productivity at the national level.
Subsequently, the Deputy Rector for Research and Technology Transfer, Massimo Lauria , and the Deputy Rector for Sustainability and Monitoring of Indicators, Mariantonia Cotronei , presented a detailed technical analysis of the results achieved by Mediterranea.
The morning session concluded with a round table discussion attended by the Directors of the five Departments: Marco Poiana (Department of Agriculture), Consuelo Nava (dAeD Department), Giuseppe Barbaro (DICEAM Department), Claudio De Capua (DIIES Department), and, delegated by Massimo Finocchiaro Castro (DiGiES Department), Massimiliano Ferrara. They were joined by Giovanni Leonardi (Coordinator of the University Quality Assurance Committee) and Giacomo Messina (Coordinator of the Evaluation Committee). This provided an opportunity for a proactive discussion regarding how the University, across all its components, is preparing to address the new challenges of the coming years in the field of the quality of scientific production.
The afternoon session focused on the evolution of Projects of Relevant National Interest (PRIN and PRIN PNRR 2022), intended as true driving forces for innovation in the metropolitan and regional areas.
The proceedings reopened with contributions from Rector Giuseppe Zimbalatti and Laura Patella , Director of the Ministry of University and Research (MUR), who offered an institutional and ministerial overview of current funding lines and the opportunities offered by future research developments.
Then came the operational focus: introduced by Deputy Pro-Rector Massimo Lauria , the presentations by the Research Delegates of the various Departments illustrated the progress, the intermediate goals and the concrete implications of the ongoing research.
In the late afternoon, an important moment of synthesis took place, curated by the University Scientific Commission, Nicola Moraci (Engineering Area) , Massimiliano Ferrara (Law, Economics and Human Sciences Area) , Michele Monti (Agriculture Area, Tommaso Manfredi (Architecture Area)
The final review and closing of the proceedings were entrusted to Professor Sergio Altomonte of the Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium), whose international and European perspective allowed for the evaluation and valorization of the Mediterranea University's positioning and excellence within the international scientific context.
The Rector, Professor Giuseppe Zimbalatti, expressing satisfaction with the success of the event, stated that " today's meeting marks a decisive shift in Mediterranea's research policies and strategies. An approach based on discussion, listening, and results is affirmed. Only by starting from this evidence will it be possible to envision new strategic visions for the growth of our University in the coming years ."
For his part, the Deputy Pro-Rector for Research, Professor Massimo Lauria, declared himself " proud to have promoted such an event which, according to all those present, represents an absolute novelty in the governance policies of our University. We feel a strong responsibility to promote and implement shared and participatory actions in the field of research, and today's certainly represents an excellent starting point ."
