Does three-year planning regulation impact on the performance of Italian universities? Evidence (from 2004-2010 indicators) and future research implications.

This paper investigates changes in the performance of Italian universities following the introduction of new three-year planning regulations,based on indicators defined by law. The empirical data show a widespread improvement in performance; this may stem from a general realization of ‘what really counts’ within university management, not only from the opportunistic perspective of an increased flow of state funds, but also in response to the broader perception of competition among universities. The results highlight the need for further investigation of the relation between university system performance, the notion of performance itself and the performance management models adopted by individual universities in the system.