ROME - Members of the League breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday, as it was announced that the Scuola Normale in Pisa would not be opening a second branch in Naples. The idea had been raised by the school’s chancellor Vincenzo Barone, but despite backing from the President of the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) Gaetano Manfredi, it had received a predominantly negative response from ministers.

 Critics maintain that the establishment of a sister school would “contaminate” the Scuola Normale brand. According to Il Fatto Quotidiano, people felt it would “tarnish the allure” of the prestigious school, and lower its standards of education.   

 Due to the “carefree” reputation of many Neapolitans, people feared that a school in Naples would lower the Scuola Normale’s rigorous standards, and induce a loss of creative intelligence. It may have also undermined the severity of students' studies.

 In response to the announcement that plans had been thwarted, Mayor of Pisa Michele Conti declared, “Pisa has been saved!”

 “The Italians come first! Actually, the people of Pisa come first!” he shouted in delight. Conti met with the Italian Minister of Education, University and Research Marco Bussetti before making his elated speech.

 According to the 2018 World University Ranking made by the Times Higher Education, the Scuola Normale is considered among the best universities in Italy and among the top 100 worldwide. It is one of three officially sanctioned special-statute universities in Italy, and is part of the so-called 'Scuola Superiore Universitaria.'

 fh