Professori

Professori is the plural form of professore in Italian, used to refer to university educators who hold a professorship. They are typically senior members of the faculty with responsibilities spanning teaching, research, and service within higher education institutions.

In the Italian system, professori universitari are commonly categorized into ranks such as professore ordinario (full professor) and professore associato (associate professor). Other roles in the career path can include professori a contratto or ricercatori universitari, with the latter potentially advancing to professorship through competitive national procedures and habilitation processes.

Duties of professori commonly include delivering courses and seminars, supervising undergraduate and graduate theses, leading research programs, publishing in scholarly outlets, securing research funding, and participating in university governance and committees.

The path to becoming a professore typically involves earning a doctoral degree, gaining substantial research experience, and succeeding in national qualification systems and competitive appointments. The exact requirements vary by country, but the title generally denotes a senior, tenured, or tenure-track academic position with broad responsibilities.

Globally, the title professor signifies a high academic rank, though the structure and naming conventions differ. In Italy, the term is gendered: professore for males and professoressa for females; the plural professori refers to a group of male or mixed-gender professors, or to a group of professors generally.