- To create a general framework of the research activity at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and define its role in the innovation processes and domestic and regional development;
- To give a general description of the characteristics, methods and trends of the research activity, by providing relevant bibliography and literature.

- Contextualization of the need to address Education for Sustainable Development
within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

- Challenge-Based Learning as a Methodology for Education for Sustainable Development

- An example of the Challenge-Based Learning to learn Education for Sustainable Development with pre-service teachers.

Conceptualization of key terms for Strategic Planning: Mission, Vision, Values, Strategic axes. Explanation of how to do a SWOT analysis. Definition of objectives, indicators and actions. 

The goal is to understand what a Strategic Plan is and to know how to write one Strategic Plan. 

Planning Cycle. Italian universities approach: To adopt an integrated approach between strategy, performance and balance sheet.

Five priority actions may be suggested to universities: (1) financial programming should be connected
to the strategic framework and, possibly, built with the involvement of the departments; (2) to develop a sustainable budget process, which is suitable for the organizational context; (3) revise accordingly the internal regulations and flowcharts, clearly indicating actors, roles, responsibilities, tools and times; (4) perform analytical accounting exercises, including non-accounting ones; (5) ensure that integrated reporting is carried out showing what has been achieved compared to what was planned, in operational, economic / financial and strategic terms.

Summary of the previous sessions. Definition of governance: "Theoretical tools used within literature to understand HEI". Distinction between systemic and institutional governance. Clark's classification of governance. New Public Management (NPM) within Universities. 

After 30 years of NPM policies, what has happened in the Italian University system and in particular within the Universities? Does anything change or not? If yes, to what extend?

Prof. Mignone and Dr. Penco try to give answers to these questions by providing a serie of data from the University of Genoa.