Summary — The aim of the research was to contribute to the debate on the productivity and efficiency of the Italian University system using appropriate indicators. A longitudinal survey was carried out to this purpose concerning the students enrolled in the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Pavia in the academic years 1978/79 -1983/84.

It came out from this survey that, first of all, after ten years only one fifth of the enrolled students had obtained a degree, 57% had abandoned their studies for good (either because they gave them up or due to expiration) and another 15% had not renewed their enrollment for the next year. It took a student 6,2 years on an average to obtain his degree. The success rate proved to be highly dependent on the school of origin of the student: in fact a bit less than a third of those who had a high school diploma and only 1/8 of those who had a technical institute diploma concluded their studies.

The construction of an elimination table enabled us to assess that the highest probability of drop-outs (equal to 35%) occurred during the first year of enrollment. In the third year, of those who initially enrolled, only 50% continue, due to dropping out or failure to enrol, and in the fourth year the percentage decreases to just a little more than a third.

53% of the students in the Faculty (enrolled for the first time or coming from other Faculties) did not pass a single exam. The percentage of students with zero exams reaches 78% if it is calculated with reference only to those who give up their studies for good.