VOLUNTARY WORK AND FORMATIVE CREDITS  

 WHAT THE UNIVERSITY FORMATIVE CREDITS (CFU) ARE AND HOW THEY ARE APPLIED  

1. Norms and Guide to the application of CFUs  

Obligations and autonomous space deriving from the rules on didactic autonomy (R.A.U.)  

Article 10 of Decree n° 509 introduces substantial changes in the organization of the Study Courses according to six typologies of formative activities.  

 It establishes a series of obligations relative to the number of CFUs to assign to these typologies ("reserved credits") and accordingly, also points out the relative space that the Universities may have for their autonomous deliberation. In this way, the minimum importance that each of the six typologies has is established in the following way:

a. basic formative activity (not less than 10% = 18 credits)  

b. characterizing formative activity (not less than 10% = 18 credits)  

c. similar or integrative formative activity (not less than 10% = 18 credits)  

d. formative activity chosen by the student (minimum 5% = 9 credits)  

. activity related to the preparation of final exams and to the learning of foreign languages (minimum 5% = 9 credits)  

f. other activities (foreign languages, computer science, unpaid work experience, etc.: (minimum 5% = 9 credits)  

In total, the number of credits assigned by the national office for every  degree class amounts therefore to 45% of the available credits, or rather, in a first level study course, to 81 credits out of 180.  

Moreover, it needs to be underlined that, in Italy, by law:  

the sum of the credits "reserved" by  ministerial rules to the activities a), b) and c) cannot be more than 50% (= 90 credits);  

The sum of the credits "reserved" to activities d), e), f) cannot be more than 20% (= 36 credits);  

The total sum of credits "reserved” cannot be more than 66% (= 120 credits in the first level degree course).  

In conclusion, to determine the characteristics  of the degree courses belonging to IT, every scientific-disciplinary area has a space of autonomous decision that cannot be less than 34% (= 60 credits) and more than 55% (= 99 credits) with respect to the whole of the formative activities, as underlined better in the diagram below:.    

The diagram of the Ministerial Decree, which shows the definition of the classes of  university degrees in the first cycle, defines, for each of the 41 classes of degrees, in addition to the qualifying formative aims  of the new qualifications and  the relative formative activities, the  "disciplinary fields" which are obligatorily present in the single typologies of activity (a, b, c, d, e, f, as specified above), the disciplinary fields foreseen, and in general, the number of “reserved” credits.

In order to fulfil the objectives which we have established in the two projects:  

 · Science and Conscience;  

 · Adopt a firm;  

 the typologies found at letters d) and f), (underlined in red) are useful.

We stress, therefore, that the application of the CFUs, being the competence of the Single Universities (even if within a normative system) must be established according to well-defined criteria and protocols.  

It is worthwhile in this regard to specify the following: 

It has been calculated that a student, every year, can devote 1500 hours of his own time to study (individual study, lessons, laboratories, unpaid work experience).  

500 hours correspond to 60 CFUs. Therefore a credit corresponds to 25 hours of commitment. At least half of the CFUs is reserved to individual study and is assigned through passing examinations. The CFUs measure the commitment necessary to reach determinate formative goals: the hardest courses - and relative examinations - correspond to higher CFUs.  

The Degree is obtained with 180 credits, while the Specialist Degree is obtained with 300 (total). The Masters, that lasts one year, are worth 60 credits, both for those done after the Degree (1° level), and for those done following the Specialist Degree (2° level).  

The Degree foresees a final exam which is established by each university. The Specialist Degree foresees the discussion of a thesis.  

While the CFUs measure the distance leading to the completion of the studies, the marks measure the profit. Therefore, the CFUs are entirely independent from the marks which are achieved and are obtained by passing the exam, independently of the mark.

2. How to document formative credit  

The organization or the association (in this case TERREDELSUD) that has promoted the activity in which the candidate has participated is asked to document the formative credit through a special declaration.  

Such documentation is produced starting from a protocol of agreement that is stipulated between the TERREDELSUD association and the University.  

Whoever is interested in this interesting innovation (of a social, scientific and technical nature) and wants to know the Universities which are active in the protocols of agreement can ask for information by writing to nelmondo@terredelsud.org.  

3. Where to acquire the formative credit (or even an experimental thesis or an apprenticeship)  

The places and the territories where to acquire such qualifications can be seen on the page “presenze”.  

This page will be updated as we start up relationships with the missions present in those territories.  

Guido Bissanti