Excellence funds, excellent outcomes? Lessons from Italian university departments

Niccolo Cattadori (), Edoardo Frattola () and Elena Lazzaro ()
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Niccolo Cattadori: University of Zurich
Edoardo Frattola: Bank of Italy
Elena Lazzaro: Bank of Italy

No 1505, Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) from Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area

Abstract: This paper investigates the causal effects of a competitive excellence initiative financing Italy’s top twenty-five per cent university departments. We exploit a novel linkage of administrative data regarding faculty careers, publications, departmental activities, and student enrollment to estimate the effects of the policy in a dynamic difference-in-differences framework. In direct terms, the additional financial resources allowed funded departments to increase their faculty size but had a limited impact on course offerings. Indirectly, the excellence designation led to higher student enrollment, particularly among high-achieving ones, suggesting a positive quality signal. The funding boosted scientific output but not productivity, except in large STEM and Life Sciences departments, which benefited from agglomeration effects and improved research infrastructure.

Keywords: excellence funding; scientific productivity; student enrollment; STEM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H52 I23 I28 O38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-11
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_1505_25

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