The Italian Reform of the academic recruitment system: an appraisal of ANVUR and CUN benchmarks for assessing candidates and commissioners

The present study is aimed at contributing to the ongoing debate about the implications of the incoming recruitment system as proposed by Law 240/2010 (Gelmini's reform). For this purpose, the main implications of the two alternative criteria respectively proposed by the National Agency for the Evaluation of the University System and Research (ANVUR) and the National University Council (Consiglio Universitario Nazionale - CUN) are investigated for assessing candidates and commissioners admitted to apply for the national scientific approval of the Italian academic recruitment system. Using the sample of 1327 Italian academic economists (secs p/01, p/02, p/03) enrolled for the academic year 2011-12, the analysis provides two simulations. First, the thresholds for both ANVUR and CUN criteria as well as the resulting shares of "qualified" candidates and commissioners are computed. Second, the impact of the new eligibility criteria on the academic competitions (p01, p02, p03) that occurred in 2005 is simulated under the assumption that behavioral responses are absent. The findings suggest that (i) CUN criteria provide more selective benchmarks than ANVUR ones, and (ii) in the absence of behavioral responses, the new system of recruitment is expected to remarkably affect the profile of the Italian academic system.