La valutazione miope: la dispersione universitaria oltre gli indicatori

This paper offers a critical reflection on the use of quantitative indicators in university evaluation and governance processes in Italy, highlighting the implicit assumptions that underpin them. Although useful for planning purposes, indicators cannot be taken as the sole reference point, as they can be subject to semantic ambivalence and fail to capture the complexity of subjective experiences. The contribution is divided into two parts. The first offers a critical analysis of the tacit cultural assumptions and biases underpinning the use of quantitative indicators in Italian university governance, with particular attention to the phenomenon of student dispersion. The second presents a case study of a three-year degree course in Psychological Sciences and Techniques, combining a longitudinal analysis of the indicators with a qualitative survey. The aim is to promote a more articulated reading of the contemporary university experience, capable of including the social and biographical dimensions of the actors involved without denying the usefulness of the assessment tools.