Without a course online, I would not have ever graduated

Roberto Bombardi, former neurologist, crowns the dream of a second degree in computer engineering only thanks to the new system via the Internet. It is among the first seven doctors in Italy online

"I have always had a passion for science, since as a child. Then I graduated in medicine, but the bullet was left to me. Without the online university would never managed to crown my dream of a second-degree more technical specialist. " So says Roberto Bombardi excited the other day at the Como, Politecnico di Milano to withdraw one of the first seven degrees online in Italy (110 to vote, the better) in Computer Engineering (currently this is the current active) . Came to the ceremony accompanied by his wife, Roberto, Vicenza 37enne neurologist who works 60 hours a week, was able to reach the goal with this pilot project, first in our country, born from collaboration between the Politecnico di Milano and somedia company active in the field of training.

How did you decide to enroll in engineering online?
I came to the attention of "Laureaonline" through publicity and I was immediately intrigued. In fact I wanted to subscribe to Biomedical Engineering, but with the life I do, between work, wife and son (one of 14 months and one coming) I would have been impossible to achieve a traditional second degree, with all that implies: obligations frequency, lectures, tutorials, live seminars. This system, however, I opened a new horizon. I could do everything alone, from home, as and when I wanted. And so three years ago when the project started, I was just writing the first.

What are the strengths of a degree course so conceived? What aspects to be improved?
Without a doubt what makes the difference is flexibility: You can organize as they see fit. Studying in the evening until late at night, weekend and followed the lessons online, or cd rom, took part in the forums or chats, or used the mail for clarification, the teachers and tutors were always available. And what seems absurd, I found that everything in this system based on internet there was a lot more interaction in the major traditional classrooms where teachers are also thirty meters away and often do not even know you.

And the tests, how tests and examinations? It is not too easy to "cheat"?
Tests "in the pipeline," which are made every two or three weeks for each subject at home, are mandatory and serve mainly to self. Why then the real test is live, and this is not the only time percosro virtual universities, one in which we meet with the teacher, who assesses you as an old-style examination. And is the result of these tests live that counts for the teacher in the decision on promotion. If instead you make a suggestion to improve the system, I would suggest to implement the test sessions, two times a year maybe I am a po 'little. Other negative aspects? A just want to find, missing some 'social element. So for those at the university also seeks friends, new people to know that drinking a beer in the evening, boys and girls from attending continuously, this is missing.

What level of computer skills is needed to tackle a course online?
Elementary: just know how to navigate, using a multimedia PC and you want to use all its functions and tools, by mail to the Forum to webcam.

Do you think an experiment like this, happy to judge in the case of Engineering, also lends itself well to the degrees of humanistic, devoid of the typical scientific practice?
Yes, without doubt. Would well humanities degrees as History or Philosophy. I believe that both of us born before simply because the faculty was ready as of today, by vocation, a computerized approach to teaching. But in future I imagine that other faculty could take the online mode.

And if the rosy forecasts of Roberto will prove correct, perhaps in a few years the gap that now separates us from other European countries could be reduced. He noted that the effect telematic universities, we actually only a few days in England (200 members), Spain (155mila members), France (350mila subscribers) and Germany (57mila subscribers), which have become more consolidated.