The Right to University Education in Tuscany

The research, part of IRPET’s joint activities with the Tuscany Region, was conducted by Silvia Duranti and Giada Garbini, within the Public Economics research area coordinated by Patrizia Lattarulo. Collaborators included Natalia Faraoni, Maria Luisa Maitino, Valentina Patacchini, and Letizia Ravagli. Editing by Elena Zangheri.

The right to university education has recently returned to the forefront of public debate, thanks to the significant funding provided by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) to increase the average amount of scholarships, expand university housing, and expand the number of scholarship recipients. However, these interventions are part of a complex context, characterized by persistent resource shortages, differing regional delivery models, and the varying capacity of regions to meet student needs. The demand for greater autonomy by some regions in many areas of governance, and the resulting debate on essential performance levels and regional delivery models, has further contributed to heightened attention to an area of ​​public intervention that represents an interesting example of decentralization.

Our contribution aims to provide the broadest possible overview of the DSU in Italy and Tuscany, starting with the relevant legislation and funding sources (Section 1), then moving on to the Tuscan model (Section 2) and an analysis of data on beneficiaries of the interventions (Section 3). A final paragraph (Section 4) describes the university and employment outcomes of DSU beneficiaries in Tuscany.