University consortium, after the war for the chair, the knots remain to be untangled: absent members and accounts on the brink.

When the public debate was heated, that is, during the days when politics had to decide who to entrust with the chair, or rather, the small chair, of the presidency of the Empedocle University Consortium of Agrigento, everyone – or almost everyone – spoke out to support the idea that this academic institution had essential strategic value for the territory. In a phase of deep uncertainty regarding governance (at least concerning the distribution of positions), there was also concern about a possible commissionership of the Entity due to its economic difficulties but also due to the lack of approved budget documents.

A situation that seems to be currently averted, although it remains extremely delicate. For the three-year period 2025-2027, the situation emerging from the 2025-2027 budget forecast, approved by the Assembly of members on March 6, 2026, outlines a management focused on prudence and sustainability.

The Consortium's revenues are characterized by a clear prevalence of current transfers, which are expected to be 823,542.74 euros for 2025, with a slight estimated increase to 834,285.17 euros for the years 2026 and 2027. On the expenditure side, the Consortium's activities mainly focus on two key missions that absorb almost all current resources: education and the right to study: this is the main mission with an allocation of 543,923.34 euros for 2025 (equal to 56.0% of the total), aimed at ensuring university services and the educational offer in the territory. General and institutional services: commits 419,223.68 euros in 2025 (43.1% of the total), including costs for the operation of the operational machinery.

The personnel expenditure remains a rigid component of the budget. For the considered three-year period, the staff structure is expected to remain stable at 11 units. All good? Well, sort of.

It is enough to read the explanatory note signed by President Giovanni Perino to highlight "the need to overcome some critical issues to promote innovation and the adaptation of services".

Among the structural problems, there is a clear indication of "the strong dependence on public transfers and the limited economic contribution from the member consortia". Facts that "constitute elements of vulnerability that affect the programming capacity of the Entity. Similarly – continues Perino – the poor diversification of revenues and the absence of capital investments in the three-year period considered risk slowing down the process of innovation and the adjustment of services intended for students".

The president, therefore, considers it desirable "a greater involvement of the member consortia, both in terms of active participation in strategic choices and through an increase in the resources made available. Furthermore, it is necessary to promote initiatives aimed at diversifying revenues".

In short, to grow and improve, investment is necessary.