Italy’s researcher career reforms could be derailed

Plans to abolish controversial short-term contracts for early career staff in jeopardy under new government

A major reform of how Italy’s early career researchers are employed has ground to a halt, as the country’s new research minister has pushed back on her predecessor’s abolition of short-term contracts in the field.

In the summer, the then minister of research Maria Cristina Messa signed off plans to abolish short-term contracts known as ‘assegni di ricerca’, which have been blamed for creating a slew of insecure research positions.