Scenario

• Society and technology

Technology is now experiencing such a tumultuous and complex development in many fields that is hard to follow even for academics. Within a political, economic and social context no longer marked by stability, technology has become a crucial element in influencing society and university.

The result is a clear responsibility to look at technology in its broadest sense (political, economic, social, environmental), focussing on the university world.

• Society and competence

Fears related to the possible consequences of mismanaged technological development are leading to significant social tensions and diminishing trust not only in science and technology, but also in the concept of “competence” itself. These uncertainties also have an impact at political level: we can observe a growing skepticism towards the cornerstones which underpin liberal democracy.

Hence the responsibility to strengthen the historical role of our University, maintaining its values and interpreting them in the contemporary world.

• The Italian national and local context

Italy and in particular the Turin area, are deeply involved in global transformations and has to tackle them from a particularly difficult situation. Its social and economic bases are being undermined by severe demographic decline, an imbalance between emigration and immigration of young graduates, sluggish productivity growth in different economic sectors, and low public investments in education and research.

The result is a clear responsibility to work to the benefit of the economy, society and policy-makers at territorial and national level, by affecting the local development; adequate resources will be asked with this aim.