The first training webinar of the INsPIRE project was held on July 15th 2021. The focus of the webinar was university autonomy and how autonomy is applied in Italy and Portugal. Speakers at the webinar were the Rector of the University of Evora, Prof. Ana Costa Freitas, and the Rector of the University of Siena, Prof. Francesco Frati.
Recording
Transcript
The session was moderated by Paulo Resende da Silva (University of Evora) and Pasquale Ruggiero (University of Siena), and was attended by +70 Iraqi colleagues, including Rectors, Vice-Rectors, academic staff members, the project focal points and more. In addition, the session was promoted by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to other universities in the country, therefore involving participants also from institutions outside the Consortium.
Autonomy is perceived as one of the most sensitive, relevant and debated topics in Iraq, identified as a priority for the Higher Education sector and as a core need for the universities in the project.
Speakers
“Universities need autonomy to fulfill their challenges”
Anna Costa Freitas has a Bachelor in Agronomy from the Institute Superior of Agronomy (School of Agriculture), Technical Lisbon University nowadays Lisbon University, and a PhD in Food Biotechnology from the University of Évora. She has a large experience on University Governance and Management: she was Vice-Rector between 2006-2010; Vice-President of the Scientific Council of the University of Évora: 2005-2006; Vice-President of the Institute of Mediterranean Agricultural Sciences, University of Évora: 2004-2006; Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Évora: 2004-2005; Vice-President of the Scientific Council of the Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Évora: 2004-2006; President of the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Évora: 2004-2006. Also she was a Member of the Steering Committee of the PRIMA Program, an High-level expert of Horizon 2020 Policy Support Facility (PSF) since August 2015; and Adviser, Bureau of European Policy Advisers of the European Commission: 2011– 2013.
“Once you have autonomy, you have to be ready to take decision”
Francesco Frati holds a Bachelor’s in Biology and PhD in Animal Biology at the University of Siena. He has been a Visiting Fellow at the Dpt. Cell Biology & Anatomy, Cornell Medical College, and postdoctoral fellow at the Dpt. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut. He has a large experience on University Governance and Management: he was Vice-Rector (2011-16); Rector’s delegate for Teaching Affairs (2010-2011); Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Sciences (2007-10); Chair of the Department of Evolutionary Biology (2003-2009). As a scientific researcher he is a Member of the National Academy of Entomology; an Associate Editor of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution; and a Member of the Editorial Board of Pedobiologia and Entomologia. He was also a Member of the Steering Committee of the Italian Zoological Society (2007-11).
