Research and development policy

Research national policies are indicated in the 'Guidelines for Scientific Research and Technology of the Government', drawn up by the Council of Italian Ministers.

Research national actions and priorities are generally established in two main strategic pluriannual documents:

the PNR (National Programme of Research), produced by the Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR).

the PON Research (National Operational Programme), which governs the national planning of the European funds, the so called Structural Funds; these are the European funds administered by the Italian public authorities to strengthen the research activities in some of the Italian regions.

The new PON will cover the period 2007-2013.

National funds for research are then indicated in several operational programmes aimed at governing national research projects, the main of which are managed by the Ministry of University and Research (MIUR) and by the Ministry for Productive Activities. The following have been the most important programmes until 2006. In the near future they should merge in a new single programme, the FIRST (Fund for Investment in Research, Science and Technology) :

PRIN (Funding for Research Projects of National interest)
FISR (Integrated Special Fund for Research Activities)
FAR (Funding to facilitate Research Activities)
FIRB (Funding to supplement Basic Research)
FIT (Funding for Technological Development), managed by the Ministry for Productive Activities.

Other Ministries, such as the Ministry of Agricultural and Forestry Policies, the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry of Health develop research policies in their field of activities.

The Italian government has also launched a policy of supporting the development of Technological Districts, the promotion of new Centres of Excellence and Scientific and Technology Parks.

Source: CRUI Foundation

legals | credits | F.A.Q.