Data Science

The Quality Assurance (QA) System of Sapienza University is extensively described on the Quality Team Web Pages, available at:
https://www.uniroma1.it/it/pagina/team-qualita.
These pages illustrate the ten-year development path undertaken by the University to establish the Sapienza Quality Assurance framework, outlining the organizational model adopted, the actors involved in QA (Quality Team, Monitoring Committees, Joint Student–Faculty Committees, and Study Program Quality Commissions), as well as the active working groups, the main activities implemented, and the documentation prepared for managing Quality Assurance processes and activities in Teaching, Research, and the Third Mission.
The website also serves as a communication and data-sharing platform supporting QA-related activities such as periodic reviews (Riesame), the preparation of reports by Joint Student–Faculty Committees and Monitoring Committees, and the compilation of the SUA-Teaching (SUA-Didattica) and SUA-Research (SUA-Ricerca) forms.
Each Degree Program and Department may adapt the Sapienza QA Model, as defined by the Quality Team, to its own organizational specificities, while fully adhering to the models and procedures established by ANVUR (Italian National Agency for the Evaluation of Universities and Research Institutes) and the Sapienza Quality Team.
The webpages of each Degree Program and Department, together with their SUA-Didattica and SUA-Ricerca forms, represent the main tools for communicating how the QA System is implemented at the program or departmental level.
Quality Assurance Management Committee (CGAQ)
The Quality Assurance Management Committee (CGAQ) of the Master’s Degree in Data Science is composed as follows:

• Prof. Enrico Scalas – QA Coordinator
• Prof. Walter Quattrociocchi – Program Chair
• Prof.ssa Francesca Cuomo
• Technical-administrative staff members
• Two student representatives

The main responsibilities of the CGAQ include:

• Drafting the Annual Monitoring Report (Scheda di Monitoraggio Annuale);
• Preparing the Cyclical Review Report (Rapporto di Riesame Ciclico);
• Analyzing Student Opinions (OPIS);

All these activities feed into discussions within the Degree Program Council.
The Committee holds regular meetings to monitor the implementation of corrective actions identified in the Review Report and to ensure the continuous improvement of program quality.
Monitoring and Continuous Improvement Activities
Through the CGAQ, the Degree Program conducts periodic monitoring of:

• Student careers and progression;
• Educational paths and course offerings;
• Teaching activities, including organizational aspects.

The Committee proposes improvement actions with a particular focus on student progression, student satisfaction, and employment outcomes. It also evaluates the effectiveness of implemented actions, highlighting strengths, critical issues, and necessary adjustments.
Meeting Schedule
The meeting calendar is defined at the conclusion of the university-level QA activities. In general, two main meetings are scheduled each year:

• June/July:
  Meeting at the end of the second semester dedicated to collecting and discussing information on the first semester’s progress, supported by data from student OPIS questionnaires.
• November:
  Meeting held in conjunction with the drafting of the Annual Monitoring Report.

During each Degree Program Council meeting, the CGAQ presents summaries of the key findings from its monitoring activities. Special attention is given to the discussion and verification of critical aspects and the implementation of corrective measures.
In the June/July meetings, specific tasks are assigned to individual committee members, according to the actions to be undertaken in the following cycle.

Numerous organizations from the professional, service, and industrial sectors were consulted regarding the proposal to establish a Master’s Degree in Data Science (LM-DATA degree class) at Sapienza University of Rome.
The consultation meeting took place on September 20, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., in the Aula Magna of the Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering “Antonio Ruberti” (DIAG), located at Via Ariosto 25, Rome.
The consultation involved large, medium, and small private and public enterprises, including:
Advant, Amarena SRL, BiP, Centai, Cineca, Comune di Roma – Casa delle Tecnologie Emergenti, Crisma Italia, Enel, Engineering, Fondazione Marco Vigorelli, ISMAR-CNR, ISTAT, KPMG, Leonardo, NTT DATA, Poste Italiane, Proceedit.com, Procter & Gamble, Reply, S3K, Telecom/TIM, and Unicredit.
All representatives from the professional, service, and industrial sectors emphasized the importance of the Data Scientist role within their organizations. They all highlighted the strong demand for qualified personnel capable of both analyzing large volumes of data and selecting the most suitable IT systems for data storage and processing, as well as communicating effectively across different fields of application.
The consultation confirmed that the interdisciplinary approach of the proposed degree program is a fundamental asset in preparing the professional profiles currently sought by the job market. The companies and institutions involved expressed strong appreciation for the structure of the project, which brings together the four departments of Sapienza’s Faculty of Information Engineering, Computer Science, and Statistics.
Participants also underlined that the increasing volume of information generated by industrial and service processes represents a strategic asset for modern society, requiring professionals able to enhance and leverage such data.
Public institutions emphasized that the rise of open data constitutes a crucial tool for political and administrative decision-making, as well as for fostering citizen participation in public life. The importance of the Data Scientist role within non-profit organizations was also highlighted.
Overall, the consultation made clear the exceptional significance of the current historical and technological transformation, which urgently calls for the training of professionals capable of analyzing, interpreting, and effectively presenting data of various types across a wide range of professional and service sectors.
The minutes of the meeting are available at the following  link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/175MWcYs5yQcqcUuA2MESo2AsTtIcDB5d/view,
also accessible from the website of the Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering “Antonio Ruberti” (DIAG):
https://www.diag.uniroma1.it/corsi-di-studio

Consultations with stakeholders were carried out through several meetings aimed primarily at the establishment of the Master’s Degree Program in Data Science (LM-DATA degree class) and the continuous improvement of its educational offering, with particular attention to the new demands and challenges emerging from private and public organizations operating in the field of Data Science.
To this end, the Master’s Degree in Data Science has established a permanent advisory body involving professionals, service organizations, and industry representatives — the Advisory Committee (Comitato di Indirizzo) — which performs the following functions:

• Monitoring and updating the study program in light of trends in the labor market;
• Promoting collaboration opportunities related to internships, student orientation, and graduate employability;
• Evaluating the effectiveness of graduate employment outcomes.

All organizations consulted during the establishment phase of the degree program, along with additional industry and professional representatives, have expressed their willingness to participate in this permanent advisory body.
Interaction with stakeholders also includes the organization of events, seminars, and workshops on current topics, with the aim of strengthening the educational activities and supporting the development of students’ knowledge, skills, and cultural profiles.
Composition of the Advisory Committee
The Advisory Committee includes faculty members, student representatives, and industry professionals as follows:
Faculty members:
Prof. Aris Anagnostopoulos, Prof. Sergio Barbarossa, Prof. Pierpaolo Brutti, Prof.ssa Francesca Cuomo, Prof. Paolo Di Lorenzo, Prof. Fabio Galasso, Prof.ssa Veronica Piccialli, Prof. Simone Scardapane, Prof. Fabrizio Silvestri, Prof. Walter Quattrociocchi.
Industry and professional representatives:

• Alessandra Bichiri (Advant)
• Raniero Romagnoli (Almawave)
• Giuseppe Ricciuti (Amarena)
• Federica Montefoschi (BIP Group)
• Francesco Bonchi (CENTAI)
• Donatella Sforzini (Cineca)
• Nicoletta Rocca & Michela Buzzichelli (ENEL)
• Marco Breda (Engineering)
• Claudia Quadrino (Gruppo Olidata)
• Piero Geraci (Humanativa)
• Antonio Cosentini (IntelligEarth)
• Giovanni Finocchiaro (ISPRA)
• Paolo Tamagnini (KNIME)
• Massimiliano Calogero (KPMG)
• Maria Anna Di Palma (NTT DATA)
• Francesco Rampazzo (Procter & Gamble)
• Fabio Luciani (S3K)
• Paolo Barboni (Target Reply)
• Sebastien Bratiares (Translated)
• Ilaria Bordino (UniCredit)

Industrial Liaison Program (ILP)
The interaction between students, faculty, and industry takes place primarily through the Industrial Liaison Program (ILP). This initiative facilitates continuous engagement with industrial partners (both Italian and multinational), research institutes, and service organizations to identify shared areas of interest and to foster internships, master’s theses, and career orientation activities.
Details of these meetings are published on the official Sapienza Degree Programs Catalogue website: https://corsidilaurea.uniroma1.it/
under the Data Science program page.
Below is a summary of the consultations held to date.
Meeting of 12 December 2023
Presentation of the Educational Offering of the Master’s Degree Program in Data Science (LM-DATA)
During this meeting, the complete structure and content of the program were presented, highlighting its interdisciplinary nature and the distinctive elements of all courses offered.
Key areas for development were identified, particularly concerning internationalization and admission procedures.
With regard to the “Other Educational Activities” (3 ECTS) — which include substantial contributions from partner companies — participants emphasized the need to increase the availability of internships in English and to better structure curricular internship opportunities, especially those related to the master’s thesis, in order to offer a more comprehensive educational experience.
The meeting also introduced the planned organization of the Industrial Liaison Program Day, an annual event designed to facilitate interaction between students and companies, featuring presentations, round tables, information booths, and networking opportunities.
Meeting of 11 September 2024
Identification and Review of Professional Profiles and Curriculum Structure of the Master’s Degree Program in Data Science (LM-DATA)
The purpose of this consultation was to review and confirm the professional profiles defined in the curriculum in light of industry-specific needs, and to identify the skills and competencies expected of Data Science graduates for each professional profile.
The discussion focused on:

1. The professional profiles identified by the program;
2. Career and employment opportunities;
3. Internship and training opportunities for the upcoming academic years.

To facilitate the discussion, the Degree Program Committee distributed an online questionnaire to participating companies prior to the meeting, soliciting feedback and suggestions. Some companies responded in writing, while others contributed orally during the meeting.
The discussion covered all four professional profiles identified by the program:

• Data Scientist
• Open Data Manager
• Data Intelligence Professional
• Big Data Infrastructure Professional

Additionally, the importance of preparing professionals capable of understanding and leveraging the business value of data, such as Data Engineers, was emphasized.
Key topics raised included data security, privacy, and ethics. Participants also stressed the importance of involving startups and SMEs more actively in the program.
Finally, the meeting addressed curricular adjustments required to comply with Ministerial Decree No. 1649 of 19 December 2023, focusing on introducing greater flexibility through the inclusion of new relevant scientific disciplinary sectors (SSD) and by refining the structure of related and integrative educational activities.