Dall'impegno in Cattolica a un'idea per l'università

In a volume dedicated to a critical illustration of the contemporary relevance of Mario Romani's thought, this brief essay analyzes his role within the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, where he held positions of increasing responsibility. Through these and other commitments (he was also a member of the National Council for Economics and Labour), he developed an advanced vision of the university institution during a period of significant change. The essay recalls his analyses of the Italian university system in the 1960s and '70s, a time of strong student expansion and failed reforms, and his critique of the consequences of unregulated growth, such as the new social function of the Italian university as a refuge for unemployed youth and the rise in dropout rates. Unlike more skeptical views, Romani did not see the university as an institution destined to disappear. Instead, he viewed it as a pivotal hub for lifelong learning and the cultural growth of society. The text also highlights his collaboration with Rector Giuseppe Lazzati to strengthen the bond between the university and the Catholic world, in line with the principles of the Second Vatican Council, thereby addressing the internal and external crisis that the institution was facing.