Monitoring of the University Strategic Plan and Review of the University Governance System

The 2026 monitoring of the 2023-2027 Strategic Plan provides an overall positive picture of progress towards the University’s objectives. The analysis considers the trend of the indicators over the 2023-2025 period and their position relative to the planned targets. 
Most indicators are increasing or substantially stable, and the critical issues identified in the previous monitoring exercise appear largely resolved or significantly improved. 
Particularly positive results emerge in the Third Mission, in services for people and inclusion, in the quality of research, and in innovation in teaching. Some areas remain in which improvement actions should continue, in particular incoming internationalisation and certain aspects of the ecological transition. 
Monitoring is an essential tool for verifying the effectiveness of the policies adopted and guiding priorities in the final phase of implementation of the Strategic Plan.
Most indicators are increasing or substantially stable, and the critical issues identified in the previous monitoring exercise appear largely resolved or significantly improved.
Particularly positive results emerge in the Third Mission, in services for people and inclusion, in the quality of research, and in innovation in teaching. Some areas remain in which improvement actions should continue, in particular incoming internationalisation and certain aspects of the ecological transition. 
Monitoring is an essential tool for verifying the effectiveness of the policies adopted and guiding priorities in the final phase of implementation of the Strategic Plan.
The Review of the governance system is a systematic process within the Quality Assurance System and ANVUR’s AVA3 Guidelines, through which the University’s governing bodies assess the effectiveness and consistency of the governance structure and decision-making processes in implementing strategic policies and achieving the objectives set out in its institutional mission, identifying any improvement actions at governance and organisational level. 
The process, now in its third year of implementation, involves a plurality of actors operating at different levels, each with specific responsibilities and functions, within a unitary and integrated framework.
This review document analyses the activities carried out between December 2024 and December 2025 on the basis of the 2023–2027 Strategic Plan and defines the improvement measures planned for 2026.

Audit Plan 2026-2028

Internal audit activity is a tool supporting the organisation, aimed at the continuous improvement of processes, the strengthening of the Internal Control System (ICS), and the promotion of a culture geared towards informed risk management. 
The Plan constitutes the first step towards the progressive implementation of a structured internal audit system within the University.
Audit activities will be carried out according to a systematic and proportionate approach, through the analysis of available data, documentary checks and, where necessary, in-depth reviews within the structures concerned, in a spirit of collaboration and transparency. Rotation criteria will also be applied among Departments, Centres and Areas of the Central Administration.
Against the backdrop of the University’s substantially solid Internal Control System, as shown by the final report of the Register of Controls, the Control and Audit Committee has identified the procurement process and the management of business travel as priority areas, in view of their financial relevance, organisational scope and related risk profiles. 
As regards procurement, monitoring will be mainly focused on below-threshold procedures, which account for the largest share in terms of number of procedures and benefit from greater operational flexibility. 
As regards business travel, audit activity is aimed at assessing the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the internal control system through the analysis of a sample of cases or situations considered significant.  
The Plan is accompanied by a timetable to ensure coherent planning of activities.
Implementation of the Plan will be monitored by the Control and Audit Committee.

International scholarships

The University of Padua is allocating 1,432,200 euros of its own funds for the 2027/2028 edition of the “Padua International Excellence Scholarship” call, which will make it possible to offer up to 76 scholarships, intended for the most deserving candidate in each Degree Programme / curriculum delivered in English, including newly established ones. Each scholarship provides 8,000 euros per year (gross amount received by the beneficiary) and a waiver of tuition fees, and is renewable for the second and third years (in the case of students enrolled in bachelor’s degrees or single-cycle master’s degrees).
The initiative forms part of the broader commitment of the University to international attractiveness, combining measures funded through its own resources with participation in ministerial funding programmes such as “Invest Your Talent in Italy” (46 new awards and 14 renewals for the 2026/2027 academic year, corresponding to 23% of national scholarships) and the agreement with MAECI for scholarships intended for foreign students and Italian students residing abroad (1,152,000 euros to fund up to 128 scholarships for students enrolled in Unipd Degree Programmes in the 2025/2026 academic year).

Cybersecurity: governance system completed with the University cybersecurity unit and operational cybersecurity plans

The University is taking a further step in strengthening its digital defences. In line with Legislative Decree 138/2024 (implementing the EU NIS2 Directive) and in implementation of the organisational model already adopted by the Board of administration, new strategic measures are being defined for cyber risk management.
The University Information Security Organisation (OSI) is being established; it will operate within the framework of roles, responsibilities and skills already defined by the organisational model and will constitute a permanent organisational unit for coordinating activities relating to information security, cybersecurity, cyber risk management and compliance requirements arising from NIS2 legislation.
The main cybersecurity documentation defines the University’s operational and methodological framework, including the Security Policy, Risk and Vulnerability Management Procedures, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans, the Cyber Crisis Management Plan, the update of the Incident Response Plan, the NIS2 Compliance Plan and the Staff Training Plan. 
The documentary and organisational framework sets out the direction of the governing bodies on risk management and the adaptation of operational tools in response to technological, regulatory and threat developments. The arrangement will be progressively updated through periodic monitoring and reviews, as part of the implementation of the Information Security Management System (ISMS).

Enhancing research: launch of a public auction for the disposal of patents

The University of Padua is launching the disposal by public auction of 19 patent families exclusively owned by the University, with the aim of fostering the development of technologies by companies.
The patent families, identified through a review of the University portfolio, have a priority date earlier than 1 January 2020 and have not been the subject of licences or commercial agreements, despite promotional activities on dedicated channels (including the national Knowledge Share portal) and management through Fondazione Unismart.
Having obtained the favourable opinion of the Patents Committee and informed the inventors concerned, the disposal will take place through award to the highest bid. The reserve price will be determined on the basis of the costs incurred by the University for the active titles, increased by 30% and rounded up to the nearest thousand euros, with a minimum threshold of 10,000 euros.

Adjustment of the remuneration of non-contract staff (Prime Ministerial Decree of 13 July 2026) and revision of the remuneration of holders of research contracts and post-doc appointments

The ministerial measure provides for an increase of 2.48% in salary levels, the special supplementary allowance and the fixed and continuous allowances payable to university professors and researchers, with retroactive effect from 1 January 2026. In close analogy with the updating of academic staff parameters, it is necessary to adjust the levels of the all-inclusive annual remuneration payable to holders of research contracts and post-doc appointments, pursuant to Articles 22 and 22-bis of Law no. 240/2010 and in accordance with the University Regulations. Following the recalibration, the minimum remuneration (corresponding to the base level of a fixed-term researcher on a part-time basis) is redefined as 29,162 euros gross employee amount (equal to 41,407.12 euros gross employer amount). The maximum provided for (corresponding to a full-time researcher) is instead set at 40,197 euros gross employee amount (equal to 57,075.72 euros gross employer amount). The option remains confirmed for proposing Structures to identify, by reasoned resolution, the envisaged intermediate salary levels (equal to 31,162, 33,162, 35,162, 37,162 and 39,162 euros gross employee amount) according to the complexity and commitment required by individual projects. The new updated amounts will take effect and will apply to all contracts and post-doc appointments whose activation or proposal for direct award is resolved by the Structures from 15 October 2026 onwards.

PTA additional pay funds 2026

The Board of administration has approved the establishment of the additional pay funds for technical-administrative staff for 2026, allocating total resources of 6,778,834 euros (8,835,282 euros gross employer amount), an increase of approximately 1.25 million euros compared with the previous year.
In detail, the Fund for Decentralised Resources for the Operators, Collaborators and Officers Areas (OCF) amounts to 4,782,716 euros (2,663,352 euros of fixed component and 2,119,364 euros of variable component); the Fund relating to the Higher Professional Area (EP) amounts to 1,546,118 euros (1,187,260 euros of fixed component and 358,858 euros of variable component). The allocation of 450,000 euros to the overtime fund has been confirmed.
For the first time, in line with supplementary bargaining (CCIL 2025-2027) and the 2025 Budget Law, the rule has been applied that allows the use of permanent savings obtained following the recruitment of permanent staff in lower numbers than those envisaged on the basis of turnover to increase the funds for staff additional remuneration, up to 10% of the value of the funds as determined for 2016.
The OCF Fund and the EP Fund have therefore recorded a permanent increase of 440,000 euros and 40,000 euros respectively (636,960 euros gross employer amount), equivalent to 5.40 staffing points.
In addition, in application of the 2022-2024 National Collective Labour Agreement, the variable component of the OCF and EP Funds has been increased by 0.22% of the 2021 payroll.
On the basis of the 2025-2027 three-year supplementary agreement, part of the resources of the University Common Fund is used to finance the variable component of the OCF fund, which rises from 500,000 euros in 2025 to 990,000 euros. At the same time, 104,162.45 euros (138,223.57 euros gross employer amount) will supplement the 2026 University Common Fund in order to realign it with the 2025 value. The EP Area fund receives 268,594 euros as a one-off payment, deriving from management savings for the 2024 financial year.

University Corporate Wellness Service of the University: activation of new metabolic assessment and nutritional counselling services 

The service, launched in 2017 with activities provided by the Department of Biomedical sciences consisting of a global postural assessment, followed by the provision of a personalised physical activity programme, is now being expanded, on a one-year trial basis, with nutritional counselling services and basal metabolic rate measurement. The costs borne by the University for the launch of the initiative, amounting to 65,000 euros, are covered by the budget allocated in 2026 to the University Corporate Wellness Service. The reduced contribution per service payable by university users is also established as follows: 25 euros for metabolic analysis only, 48 euros for the first nutritional consultation with body composition analysis and metabolic analysis, and 30 euros for subsequent consultations with body composition analysis.

 

For further decisions taken by the Board of administration, please refer to the report.