Board of administration of 29 June 2021
Single University Report for 2020
The Report on management, on the results of research, teaching, third mission and Performance activities is an accountability and reporting document which, by setting out in a coordinated and transparent way the results achieved by the University in its main activities and institutional missions, aims to provide the most integrated possible representation of the figures, dynamics and main characteristics, including operational ones, that distinguish the work of a Public Administration. This year too, particular emphasis is placed on information of interest to Stakeholders (students, teaching staff, technical and administrative staff), assessed through the analysis of customer satisfaction in relation to the services offered by the University. Overall, the response rates proved significant and noticeably higher than in the 2019 survey, both in relation to the survey addressed to Teaching Staff, PhD students and Research Fellows and to the survey addressed to Technical and Administrative Staff, whereas the survey addressed to students showed a decline. The results show a very slight decline in the perceived quality of the services provided, plausibly linked to the changing conditions of access to services during the pandemic emergency, which nevertheless remains at a high level in relation to the benchmark with other universities, with a structural average for 2020 equal to 4.91 on a six-point scale. By contrast, the result concerning the internal organisational climate increased markedly. The Performance Report provides the updated measurements of the strategic indicators, the determinations of the organisational performance indicator of the structures, the results of the evaluation of Senior Managers, the evaluation of the objectives assigned to Department Secretaries and the tables relating to the summary results of the evaluation of Technical and Administrative Staff. The report will be published on the University website Amministrazione trasparente, after obtaining the favourable opinion of the Evaluation Group.
For further information, see the attached slides and the attached infographic.
Single University Financial Statements for 2020 and allocation of profits
The Single Financial Statements consist of the Statement of Financial Position, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement and Notes to the Accounts, and are accompanied by the Rector’s Report on management. In the 2020 financial year, the University recorded revenue of 579,923,351 euro and incurred costs of 566,729,063 euro, achieving a profit of 13,194,288 euro, an increase compared with the profit achieved in 2019.
The profit for the 2020 financial year must be read in the light of the exceptional nature of 2020, with the economic impacts linked to the pandemic and certain extraordinary items. Net of these extraordinary phenomena, by reclassifying the main items of the 2020 income statement and neutralising the costs and income related to the health emergency and the extraordinary items, the result for the year falls to 7,941,038 euro, slightly up on the average for the previous four-year period (average profit 2016-2019: 6,745,396 euro).
The trend in revenue and costs reflects the exceptional nature of 2020, strongly characterised by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the continuity and methods of service delivery and on public spending policies. In this exceptional context, ministerial allocations in favour of Universities increased in support of policies facilitating students’ access to higher education. The University of Padua reinforced these general policies with its own specific measures, which were however financed largely through the use of its own capital reserves. This led, on the one hand, to an increase in expenditure in favour of students and, on the other, to a reduction in current management costs as a result of the numerous lockdowns.
The main economic effects of the health emergency can be attributed to lower operating costs (around 10 million euro), partly offset by higher costs directly attributable to the management of the emergency (around 3.7 million euro) and by the increase in staff costs (+7.8 million euro). Overall, operating costs increased by 4.9 million euro.
On the income side, higher revenue from ministerial income and contributions was recorded (around 17 million), and contributions from the public and private sectors for research activities increased, with a corresponding increase in the related costs. Overall, operating income increased by 13.8 million euro.
In particular, the University benefited from the following allocations:
-Fund for the emergency needs of the University system (Ministerial Decree 14 July 2020 no. 294): 2,736,271 euro;
-No Tax Area and student contribution relief to offset the further decrease in student fee income for the 2020/2021 academic year: 3,847,010 euro;
-Extension of PhD scholarships for academic year 2019/2020: 781,866 euro.
Among the capital transfers from MUR, the following allocations should be noted, which the University received by participating in competitive calls:
-Fund for University building and major equipment 2020 under Ministerial Decree 13 May 2020 no. 81: 2,145,099 euro;
-University building investment fund 2019-2033 under Ministerial Decree 5 December 2019, no. 1121 – co-financing of programmes under letter a) Ministerial Decree no. 857 of 16 November 2020: 16,327,739 euro.
As regards the indicators monitored by the Ministry, relating to Staff costs, Debt and Economic-financial sustainability, it should be noted that the parameters are below the regulatory limits, in particular:
-Staff expenditure indicator (Legislative Decree no. 49 of 29 March 2012, art. 5): 66.73% (limit 80%);
-Debt limit (Legislative Decree no. 49 of 29 March 2012, art. 7): 4.82% (warning limit 15%);
-Economic-financial sustainability index – ISEF (Legislative Decree no. 49 of 29 March 2012, art. 7): 1.19 (value greater than or equal to 1).
The ratio between student contributions (net of students beyond the normal duration of study and international students, as provided for by Law 205/2017, art. 1, paragraph 638) and FFO is 18.70%.
Lastly, the following allocation of the profit, amounting to 13,194,288 euro, was approved:
-1,700,000 euro for the organisation of events linked to the celebrations for the 800 years of the University;
-4,000,000 euro allocated to research infrastructures;
-1,500,000 euro for the MSCA Seal of Excellence @UniPD Call - 2022 Edition;
-2,755,000 euro for the UNIPhD project “Eight century legacy of multidisciplinary research and training for the next-generation talents”;
-1,000,000 euro as additional funding for the Aule smart project;
-2,000,000 euro for the recruitment of fixed-term researchers type a;
-239,288 euro for capital strengthening.
A summary analysis of the financial statements is provided in the attached slides.
The financial documents are published on the University website in the "Amministrazione trasparente" section
Regulations for the award of two-year salary increments
The regulations govern the procedures and requirements for the award of two-year salary increments, which begin to accrue in application of the amendments introduced to Law 240/2010. In line with the general regulations and the previous regulations on three-year increments, salary progression is recognised following the assessment of teaching, research and managerial commitment. The provisions contained in the regulations apply:
- to staff not in service, and not coming from a previous tenured position at the University, on 31 December 2017 and recruited on or after 1 January 2018;
- to staff already in service at the University on 31 December 2017, with a grade assigned and in the process of maturing in one role and who then move to another role after 31 December 2017 as a result of a change in grade;
- to staff in service at the completion of the two-year period immediately following completion of the period useful for the award of the three-year increment under the previous pay system and at each subsequent two-year period.
The start of the verification procedure is scheduled by 31 January of each year, with a notice addressed to those who completed the two-year period of actual service by 31 December of the previous year. The application will be submitted by those entitled using an online procedure, attaching the report on the overall teaching, research and managerial activities carried out. The reference period is the two previous academic years at the time of submission of the application for teaching and managerial activities, whereas for research activities the reference period is the previous three calendar years.
With regard to the requirements relating to research activity-scientific output, a variable dimension has been introduced for this indicator for teachers and researchers belonging to SSDs for which the ASN thresholds for qualification to the first tier require the production of an average annual number of articles equal to or lower than 1.2. The assessment of the fulfilment of teaching, research and managerial commitments, as provided for by Law 240/2010, will be carried out in relation to membership of the two University roles (professors and permanent University researchers), while at the same time distinguishing an initial phase of application of the Regulations from the subsequent full implementation phase. As regards the verification of teachers’ managerial commitments, a clause has been introduced whereby teaching commitments on the University’s degree programmes concurrent with meetings of departmental collegiate bodies contribute to achieving the minimum participation requirement, set at 60%.
All the requirements laid down by the regulations will be self-certified by teachers at the time of the call, with verification of the self-certifications in accordance with the procedures established by law.
University equity interests in spin-offs: disposal of shares
The Board of administration resolved on the disposal of the shares held by the University of Padua in 15 of the 22 University spin-offs in which it held an interest, for a total amount of 83,326.91 euro, following a public procedure for disposal to the highest bidder. It also resolved to proceed by direct negotiation for the disposal of the shares in the remaining spin-offs in which it held an interest, for which no offers had been received in the public auction procedure. Upon execution of the deed of transfer, the spin-offs become, for all purposes, ordinary spin-offs of the University. This operation forms part of the plan for the rationalisation of the shares held by the University in investee companies.
The Report on management, on the results of research, teaching, third mission and Performance activities is an accountability and reporting document which, by setting out in a coordinated and transparent way the results achieved by the University in its main activities and institutional missions, aims to provide the most integrated possible representation of the figures, dynamics and main characteristics, including operational ones, that distinguish the work of a Public Administration. This year too, particular emphasis is placed on information of interest to Stakeholders (students, teaching staff, technical and administrative staff), assessed through the analysis of customer satisfaction in relation to the services offered by the University. Overall, the response rates proved significant and noticeably higher than in the 2019 survey, both in relation to the survey addressed to Teaching Staff, PhD students and Research Fellows and to the survey addressed to Technical and Administrative Staff, whereas the survey addressed to students showed a decline. The results show a very slight decline in the perceived quality of the services provided, plausibly linked to the changing conditions of access to services during the pandemic emergency, which nevertheless remains at a high level in relation to the benchmark with other universities, with a structural average for 2020 equal to 4.91 on a six-point scale. By contrast, the result concerning the internal organisational climate increased markedly. The Performance Report provides the updated measurements of the strategic indicators, the determinations of the organisational performance indicator of the structures, the results of the evaluation of Senior Managers, the evaluation of the objectives assigned to Department Secretaries and the tables relating to the summary results of the evaluation of Technical and Administrative Staff. The report will be published on the University website Amministrazione trasparente, after obtaining the favourable opinion of the Evaluation Group.
For further information, see the attached slides and the attached infographic.
Single University Financial Statements for 2020 and allocation of profits
The Single Financial Statements consist of the Statement of Financial Position, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement and Notes to the Accounts, and are accompanied by the Rector’s Report on management. In the 2020 financial year, the University recorded revenue of 579,923,351 euro and incurred costs of 566,729,063 euro, achieving a profit of 13,194,288 euro, an increase compared with the profit achieved in 2019.
The profit for the 2020 financial year must be read in the light of the exceptional nature of 2020, with the economic impacts linked to the pandemic and certain extraordinary items. Net of these extraordinary phenomena, by reclassifying the main items of the 2020 income statement and neutralising the costs and income related to the health emergency and the extraordinary items, the result for the year falls to 7,941,038 euro, slightly up on the average for the previous four-year period (average profit 2016-2019: 6,745,396 euro).
The trend in revenue and costs reflects the exceptional nature of 2020, strongly characterised by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the continuity and methods of service delivery and on public spending policies. In this exceptional context, ministerial allocations in favour of Universities increased in support of policies facilitating students’ access to higher education. The University of Padua reinforced these general policies with its own specific measures, which were however financed largely through the use of its own capital reserves. This led, on the one hand, to an increase in expenditure in favour of students and, on the other, to a reduction in current management costs as a result of the numerous lockdowns.
The main economic effects of the health emergency can be attributed to lower operating costs (around 10 million euro), partly offset by higher costs directly attributable to the management of the emergency (around 3.7 million euro) and by the increase in staff costs (+7.8 million euro). Overall, operating costs increased by 4.9 million euro.
On the income side, higher revenue from ministerial income and contributions was recorded (around 17 million), and contributions from the public and private sectors for research activities increased, with a corresponding increase in the related costs. Overall, operating income increased by 13.8 million euro.
In particular, the University benefited from the following allocations:
-Fund for the emergency needs of the University system (Ministerial Decree 14 July 2020 no. 294): 2,736,271 euro;
-No Tax Area and student contribution relief to offset the further decrease in student fee income for the 2020/2021 academic year: 3,847,010 euro;
-Extension of PhD scholarships for academic year 2019/2020: 781,866 euro.
Among the capital transfers from MUR, the following allocations should be noted, which the University received by participating in competitive calls:
-Fund for University building and major equipment 2020 under Ministerial Decree 13 May 2020 no. 81: 2,145,099 euro;
-University building investment fund 2019-2033 under Ministerial Decree 5 December 2019, no. 1121 – co-financing of programmes under letter a) Ministerial Decree no. 857 of 16 November 2020: 16,327,739 euro.
As regards the indicators monitored by the Ministry, relating to Staff costs, Debt and Economic-financial sustainability, it should be noted that the parameters are below the regulatory limits, in particular:
-Staff expenditure indicator (Legislative Decree no. 49 of 29 March 2012, art. 5): 66.73% (limit 80%);
-Debt limit (Legislative Decree no. 49 of 29 March 2012, art. 7): 4.82% (warning limit 15%);
-Economic-financial sustainability index – ISEF (Legislative Decree no. 49 of 29 March 2012, art. 7): 1.19 (value greater than or equal to 1).
The ratio between student contributions (net of students beyond the normal duration of study and international students, as provided for by Law 205/2017, art. 1, paragraph 638) and FFO is 18.70%.
Lastly, the following allocation of the profit, amounting to 13,194,288 euro, was approved:
-1,700,000 euro for the organisation of events linked to the celebrations for the 800 years of the University;
-4,000,000 euro allocated to research infrastructures;
-1,500,000 euro for the MSCA Seal of Excellence @UniPD Call - 2022 Edition;
-2,755,000 euro for the UNIPhD project “Eight century legacy of multidisciplinary research and training for the next-generation talents”;
-1,000,000 euro as additional funding for the Aule smart project;
-2,000,000 euro for the recruitment of fixed-term researchers type a;
-239,288 euro for capital strengthening.
A summary analysis of the financial statements is provided in the attached slides.
The financial documents are published on the University website in the "Amministrazione trasparente" section
Regulations for the award of two-year salary increments
The regulations govern the procedures and requirements for the award of two-year salary increments, which begin to accrue in application of the amendments introduced to Law 240/2010. In line with the general regulations and the previous regulations on three-year increments, salary progression is recognised following the assessment of teaching, research and managerial commitment. The provisions contained in the regulations apply:
- to staff not in service, and not coming from a previous tenured position at the University, on 31 December 2017 and recruited on or after 1 January 2018;
- to staff already in service at the University on 31 December 2017, with a grade assigned and in the process of maturing in one role and who then move to another role after 31 December 2017 as a result of a change in grade;
- to staff in service at the completion of the two-year period immediately following completion of the period useful for the award of the three-year increment under the previous pay system and at each subsequent two-year period.
The start of the verification procedure is scheduled by 31 January of each year, with a notice addressed to those who completed the two-year period of actual service by 31 December of the previous year. The application will be submitted by those entitled using an online procedure, attaching the report on the overall teaching, research and managerial activities carried out. The reference period is the two previous academic years at the time of submission of the application for teaching and managerial activities, whereas for research activities the reference period is the previous three calendar years.
With regard to the requirements relating to research activity-scientific output, a variable dimension has been introduced for this indicator for teachers and researchers belonging to SSDs for which the ASN thresholds for qualification to the first tier require the production of an average annual number of articles equal to or lower than 1.2. The assessment of the fulfilment of teaching, research and managerial commitments, as provided for by Law 240/2010, will be carried out in relation to membership of the two University roles (professors and permanent University researchers), while at the same time distinguishing an initial phase of application of the Regulations from the subsequent full implementation phase. As regards the verification of teachers’ managerial commitments, a clause has been introduced whereby teaching commitments on the University’s degree programmes concurrent with meetings of departmental collegiate bodies contribute to achieving the minimum participation requirement, set at 60%.
All the requirements laid down by the regulations will be self-certified by teachers at the time of the call, with verification of the self-certifications in accordance with the procedures established by law.
University equity interests in spin-offs: disposal of shares
The Board of administration resolved on the disposal of the shares held by the University of Padua in 15 of the 22 University spin-offs in which it held an interest, for a total amount of 83,326.91 euro, following a public procedure for disposal to the highest bidder. It also resolved to proceed by direct negotiation for the disposal of the shares in the remaining spin-offs in which it held an interest, for which no offers had been received in the public auction procedure. Upon execution of the deed of transfer, the spin-offs become, for all purposes, ordinary spin-offs of the University. This operation forms part of the plan for the rationalisation of the shares held by the University in investee companies.
Appointments following competitive selection procedures and teaching contracts
The appointments of 5 first-tier professors, 10 second-tier professors, 7 fixed-term researchers type b) and 5 fixed-term researchers type a), as well as 6 teaching contracts with foreign teachers, scholars or distinguished professionals, were authorised in order to promote the internationalisation of degree programmes.
The appointments of 5 first-tier professors, 10 second-tier professors, 7 fixed-term researchers type b) and 5 fixed-term researchers type a), as well as 6 teaching contracts with foreign teachers, scholars or distinguished professionals, were authorised in order to promote the internationalisation of degree programmes.