Message from ... Rome
By Maarten van Aalderen
t’s been a while since I obtained my PhD in Philosophy from the University of Florence. I spent most of my time there reading books, some of which were still intonso after more than a hundred years; books with pages that were uncut and had to be opened with a knife. I just occasionally had any contact with the professors who were supervising my PhD.
Hierarchy at the universityThere was a very strict hierarchy at the university in Italy. One of my professors always started his lectures by asking “Remind me, what was I talking about last time? You there, tell me please”, one of the students recalled. A dialogue ensued and the professor really enjoyed it. Many years later, I saw that same student at Roma Termini station, carrying a heavy suitcase. He was with the professor in question and another colleague; they weren’t carrying anything. That’s when I realised that an academic career in Italy wasn’t for me.
An academic career in Italy wasn’t for me
"The position of women fascinates me"
No ceremony at all After completing my thesis, I received positive recommendations from my professors; however, they weren’t present at my PhD defence. It’s not customary for them to attend in Italy. Three independent professors assessed my work and asked questions about it. There were four PhD students; I was the last in line. After some deliberation between the professors, the most important of them barked out our “An academic career in Italy wasn’t for me” four names and our final marks. Two didn’t make it; they were stunned. Two did — I was one of them. My parents and wife were present, which was highly unusual. Unlike in the Netherlands, there’s no ceremony when you obtain your PhD in Italy.
The most important of the professors barked out the final marks
"The position of women fascinates me"
In the meantime, I’d become a journalist and had started working as an Italy correspondent for De Telegraaf a few months before obtaining my PhD. After years of working on a thesis, which was read by just a few sour-faced professors, I now write articles that are read by thousands of Dutch people. It was an incredible transition. I haven’t regretted it for a minute.
Maarten van Aalderen graduated in Philosophy from Utrecht University in 1991 and obtained a PhD from Università degli Studi di Firenze in Florence. He has lived in Italy since 1990 and has been an Italy and Turkey correspondent for De Telegraaf for almost 28 years. He is also on his sixth term as the president of the foreign press association in Rome.
Alumni network in Rome
Are you an alum of Utrecht University and, like Maarten, live in Italy? There’s an active alumni network in Rome and others will be created in several other Italian cities in the future too! Send us an e-mail if you would like more information: alumni@uu.nl.