My academic experience, as a student as well as a scholar, has been shaped by both the tradition of one of the most prestigious Italian university, Universita’ degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, and the innovative spirit of the largest Estonian university, Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech). I consider myself fortunate for having come across these two, quite different, academic environments. From one side, the Italian university provides a strong theoretical background in basically all disciplines of Mechanical Engineering, including fundamentals, energy, design and manufacturing areas. On the other hand, in TalTech the approach to studies and research is characterized by a stronger experimental imprint where often students are involved in hands-on projects and research is mainly experimental.

In my vision, I contribute to the academic life by merging the positive aspects I’ve experienced in Italy and in Estonia, by hopefully limiting the drawbacks of both realities. Although in the small and vibrant Estonian university there is a feeling of less inertia when it comes to changes, I believe that in both cases there are wide margins of improvement also at the bottom, in daily work with students, fellow researchers and colleagues. Nonetheless, the connections between academies must be sought at all levels, especially in the European context, in order to tackle the ever increasing competitiveness in the global scenario and to consolidate the socio-cultural harmonization of the European community.

In the specific cases of the Estonian end Italian social and educational systems, the differences are wide and the weaknesses have different connotations. For example, the digitalization and e-technologies have reached all areas of the Estonian life, thus representing a true national pride. At the same time, the temptation of letting the machines penetrating all aspects of our lives is strong in Estonia. These aspects and must be addressed by scientists, sociologists, and politicians in the first place. Regarding the university education in Estonia (at least in my institution), in my opinion there are still wide margins of improvement because the goal of attracting new students sometimes comes at the cost of the educational quality.

In Italy the bureaucratic system is cumbersome and smart solutions are yet to be implemented in order to facilitate economy and services. The Italian institutions are characterized by a reluctantly changeable hierarchical structure and large distances also among the subjects of the academic life. From this point of view, the ambitions of Italian students, their desire to express themselves in the areas of the social life where they feel they could positively contribute, cannot succumb under the heavy weight of over-structured and often politicized organizations (including academies). If the institutions and, as a consequence, the society is not receptive, the tradition and the strictness of the Italian education is a too small consolation for the young local generations.

Travelling back and forth from Estonia to Italy and from TalTech to Federico II, I see strengths and weaknesses of two, very different, realities. I am aware, though, that virtues cannot be simply transplanted from one system to another one.