In these days of agitation against government law 133, which would cut down the funding for university and research, a new way of contestation is emerging. Lots of professors are giving lectures in town’s squares. Yesterday, here in Bologna, was the turn of anthropology, english literature, geography, law. Today professors from one of the University in Rome, Tor Vergata, are giving classes in Piazzale Appio Claudio, while a groups of students is manifesting against this situation in front of the Parliament.

I don’t know how much of this situation is heard outside our borders, but what I found interesting is that the universities are going to the people for the first time since a long time ago. Maybe most of the professors, the ones are usually called “baroni”, are afraid of loosing their political and economical power, but what strikes the common people that stop by an astrophysical lecture given in their town’s square is that for the first time they see someone who is paid with their own money. Maybe this could be the first chapter of a story of a new meeting between universities, research and the public. Maybe is just a moment and this events will disappear soon. For the moment italian media are talking a lot about research as never before.