No. 1505 - Excellence funds, excellent outcomes? Lessons from Italian university departments
The study analyzes the impact of the 'Dipartimenti di Eccellenza' policy, launched in Italy in 2018 to provide additional funding to the top 180 public university departments. These funds-about €1.5 million per year for five years-can be used to hire new staff, invest in research infrastructure, expand the range of courses on offer, and provide performance-based incentives for researchers.
Compared with departments that applied but did not receive excellence funding, the beneficiaries significantly increased faculty hiring and attracted more students, especially high-performing ones. The policy also led to a rise in per capita publications, but only in STEM and Life Sciences. No effect was found on the number of degree or PhD programs offered.
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18 November 2025
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