List of hopes and fears

May I add a footnote to Massimo Mazzotti's deeply disturbing article about the new Italian programme for research evaluation? ("Listing wildly", 8 November.) He did not report that under the proposed system there will be committees of five academics, one of whom must be a foreigner. This gives some hope of avoiding the injustices of the past.

On the other hand, having been invited months ago to serve on the committees, I have yet to receive any information about the journals that might be taken into account when evaluating the work of applicants in line for promotion. I am now very anxious to know whether I shall be supplied with a lista pazza.

Nigel Wilson, Fellow and tutor in Classics (emeritus), Lincoln College, Oxford