In this paper the authors present the findings of their research on a vast database containing the relevant information on the scientific characteristics of the three cohorts of assistant professors recruited in Italy in the early 1980s, the 1990s and the first few years of the new millennium. Their first objective is to trace out the scientific profile of the assistant professor in the early 1980s and the changes that came about in the following twenty-five years due to general changes in the

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... rofession and in the specific conditions of the Italian academic market. The second aim is to see what turn in direction the scientific standard has taken for access to a career as a young professor of economics, the number and typology of publications, the fields of research. * Earlier versions of this paper were discussed at the seminars within the research group on "The evaluation of economic research in a historical perspective: comparing methods and arguments ". We wish to thank the participants for their useful comments and criticisms. We are particularly grateful to Luigi Salmaso, for his advice on statistical matters, to Sara Pecchioli, for her precious help in building the database, to Cristina Marcuzzo, for continuous encouragement and advice. Financial support from the Italian Higher Education and Research Ministry is acknowledged.