Training assessment: a source of key performance indexes for University

In most universities in Italy the students, to complete their academic curriculum, have to perform a training period. This is an effect of the D.M. 509/99, aiming to a deep reorganization of the whole structure of the higher education. In the case of engineering university courses, it is often developed for a company. Although it is a very useful experience for the student, the introduction of training in the student’s curriculum does not involve a real change in the relationships between University and industrial world. In this paper the status of the trainings in two engineering university courses at the University of Pisa is shown. This report is used to highlight new possibilities to be investigated to transform the training in a resource for the universities. A proposal for the development of some KPIs (Key Performance Indexes) useful to improve and make more effective the evaluation of University rating is also described.