The November 9 issue of Science reports that Fabio Mussi, Italy’s research minister, is trying to make room for young scientists in Italian Universities by lowering official retirement age from 75 to 70. The article does mention that Mussi is likely to find resistance in Parliament.
Last summer The Economist highlighted how a gerontocracy society Italy is when it comes to some professional categories.
But the point that I want to make here is this: do you really want to miss altogether the Academic influence of elder professors? In the words of a former mentor of mine, they can have such a broad culture that you can refer to them as walking libraries. Most of us will know an elder professor that you just cannot see going away. His/Her knowledge would be too precious to miss.
Beyond mandatory retirement, letting elder Professors be around, in a way that does not impede on someone else’s career progression, may make a difference. A faculty lounge, for example, may keep an area reserved to elder/emeritus Professors, so that they can still get a desk, a PC, their mail. They can learn about upcoming seminars, where they can have their say. They could and perhaps should be part of committees, if only to give advice. The risk to repeat old mistakes or follow science themes just because they are trendy is a risk not to be underestimated. Also, these elder professors may be invaluable when it comes to teaching the younger crowd what makes the difference to advance one’s career: the habit of scientific discourse.
Hi Max,
In my university there is a position called “Honorary reader” for these “walking library”. I know one of them, and you should see how enthusiast he still is to do research and give lectures. Obviously he is not payed and as you pointed, he does not impede anybody’s progression and he is a really a nice person to work with.
Am I right in saying that at that age italian academics are rather called “Barons” and tend to choose who is going to inherit their position??