Overview

• The National Scientific Habilitation (ASN), criticized for bottlenecks and publication-centric metrics, is replaced by a self-certification system on a ministry-run online platform.
• Universities will now manage hiring through internal and lottery-selected external commissions, following national minimum standards set by the Ministry and ANVUR.
• Biennial evaluations of newly hired faculty will determine funding allocations, rewarding universities that recruit and develop high-performing candidates.
• Critics, including ADI, warn the reform could perpetuate a 'publish or perish' culture and reduce transparency due to limited national oversight of local hiring commissions.
• The reform coincides with a €340 million increase in university funding for 2025, aimed at addressing resource constraints and faculty precarity.