An agreement with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia for a new degree course targetted at officer trainees at the Army's academy in Modena has been reached, sources said on Tuesday, after Bologna University knocked back an approach from the force for a similar programme, sparking a furore.
The Strategic Science degree program with a focus on philosophy will be run by University of Modena and Reggio Emilia's Department of Law.
Premier Giorgia Meloni expressed outrage at the start of the month after General Carmine Masiello, the Army Chief of Staff, accused the University of Bologna of refusing his request for it to conduct a philosophy degree for a small group of selected officials at the Modena academy.
Meloni said the decision was "comprehensible and seriously wrong".
Bologna University said that it has never refused to enrol anyone, stressing that the request was for it to organize the degree course off campus at the Modena academy.
