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Background information

he term “research and development” (R&D) refers in the business enterprise (people, financial means and resources) to the examination of technological innovations with the aim of improving existing products or production processes and to develop new products. These aims should both enhance the competitiveness on international markets and also push ahead with the integration of innovation and research at international level. For this, in addition to innovations, qualified human resources are required and the ability to implement generated knowledge. Diverse finance and tax tools were created to support industrial research in companies.

Research and Development in Italy: the national research programmes

The Italian Ministry for Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) is placed above the university and research administration. In the field of R&D, MIUR draws up national research programmes and defines thus the general research framework and aims, prospects for Italian research in the context of national and international research and the possible influence in certain sectors. The Programma Nazionale di Richerca (PNR), which is updated annually, refers, in particular, to research and innovation topics with the aim of linking and integrating the two areas.

PNR envisages the following impact:

Intensification of the cooperation between public and private institutions in the field of technological and scientific R&D
Promotion of technological and scientific projects with innovative character
Facilitation of spin-offs and start-up foundations in the high tech field
Upvaluation of the excellence and performance principles
Focusing on main areas and strategically important sectors, internationalisation, multi-disciplinarity and multi-functionality
Increase in funds and financing

Currently, a version of the PNR 2010-2013 is being worked on, which pinpoints as primary aims both the strengthening of the research system (research department 'Curiosity driver', basic research for the development of new technologies, build-up of competitiveness by strengthening the infrastructure of strategic research, internationalisation of R&D) and also the increasing competitiveness of the production system (technology department with high priority on competitiveness, dissemination of innovation and strengthening of the productions system, access to loans and capitalisation of companies).

Special attention is paid to the sectors in alternative energies, nuclear energy, agriculture, the environment, 'Made in Italy' and sustained mobility. Thereby, in particular, in the R&D sphere, attention is paid to the integration of the regional, national and European activities and the strengthening of the link between Northern and Southern Italy.

The Major Players in Technological Research and Development in Italy

There are different players in technological R&D in Italy: each player is equipped with own competence and roles and is active in public and private institutions. In addition to the public sector, many private companies and institutions also show great commitment. There are numerous public research facilities and other public institutions, such as universities, which devote themselves to special sectors in the field of Research and Development. The support provided by the public Italian facilities that provide a part of the State budget for Research and Development, is also of fundamental significance.

The Regions

The individual Italian regions are deeply committed in Research and Development. The budget of the different funds enables private and public companies to generate new knowledge and technologies with a high innovation value. The scope is to increase the productivity of the companies, which are mainly active in the areas of nanotechnology, biotechnology and IT.

The Ministries

A part of the institutional work of ministries is devoted to the Research and Development fields. The focus lies here in the smoothing of cooperations between numerous national and international companies.
Research Facilities and Institution:

At national level, research facilities are continuously growing in significance, which was additionally enhanced by PNR 2005-2009, as they redefined their objectives and also the content direction. The facilities receive the necessary support for the realisation, if there are ever more complex aims, which require a strong concentration of the resources and expertise. In Italy there are numerous R&D facilities and institutions; the most important are listed in the following: :

  • Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI)
  • AREA Science Park - Consorzio per l'Area di Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica di Trieste
  • Centro Italiano Ricerche Aerospaziali (CIRA)
  • Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica (INDAM)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS)
  • Museo Storico della Fisica e Centro Studi e Ricerche Enrico Fermi
Institutions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Centro Internazionale di Fisica Teorica (ICTP)
  • Centro Internazionale per l'Ingegneria Genetica e la Biotecnologia (ICGEB)
Institutions and Organisms of the Ministry for Environmental Protection
  • Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)
  • Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione dell'Ambiente (ARPA)
  • Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca scientifica e tecnologica Applicata al Mare (ICRAM)
Institutions of the Ministry for Economics and Finance
  • Istituto di Studi e Analisi Economica (ISAE )
  • Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)
Institutions of the Ministry of Health
  • Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA)
  • Agenzia Nazionale per i Servizi Sanitari Regionali (AGE.NA.S)
  • Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS)
  • Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS)
Institutions of the Ministry for Production
  • Istituto per la Promozione Industriale (IPI)
  • Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove tecnologie, l'Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (ENEA)
Institutions for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests
  • Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura (CRA)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Economia Agraria (INEA)
  • Istituti di Ricerca e Sperimentazione Agraria (IRSA)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la Nutrizione (INRAN)
  • Unità di Ricerca per il Monitoraggio e la Pianificazione Forestale (CRA-MPF)
  • Istituto Sperimentale Italiano "Lazzaro Spallanzani"
  • Laboratorio Centrale di Idrobiologia
  • Institutions for the Ministry of Communications
  • Istituto Superiore delle Comunicazioni e delle Tecnologie dell’Indormazione (ISCOM)
  • Consorzi universitari e Organizzazioni
  • Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB)
  • Consorzio Interuniversitario Lombardo per l'Elaborazione Automatica (CILEA)
  • Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Applicazioni di Supercalcolo per Università e Ricerca (CASPUR)
  • Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per l'Informatica (CINI)
  • Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (CNIT)
  • Consorzio Interuniversitario "Istituto Nazionale di Biostrutture e Biosistemi" (INBB)
  • Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Materiali (INSTM)
  • Istituto di Studi e Analisi Economica (ISAE)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT)
  • Laboratorio di Luce di Sincrotrone ELETTRA
  • Rete Informativa Scienza e Tecnologia (RISeT)
Special research institutions
  • Accademia Internazionale di Bergamo per le Scienze Mediche Avanzate
  • Associazione Italiana per la Ricerca Industriale (AIRI)
  • Associazione Levi-Montalcini
  • Associazione Nazionale per gli Interessi del Mezzogiorno d`Italia (ANIMI)
  • BIC La Fucina
  • BioGeM
  • Biotecne - Consorzio per le Ricerche e lo Sviluppo delle Biotecnologie
  • CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate
  • Centro Biotecnologie Avanzate (CBA)
  • Centro di Ecologia Teorica ed Applicata (CETA)
  • Centro di Oncobiologia Sperimentale (COBS)
  • Centro di Ricerca in Matematica Pura ed Applicata (CRMPA)
  • Centro di Ricerca Sviluppo e Studi Superiori in Sardegna (CRS4)
  • Centro Nazionale per le Risorse Biologiche (CNRB)
  • Centro per la Ricerca Elettronica in Sicilia (CRES)
  • Centro Provinciale Ricerche Bonomo per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura
  • Centro Studi di Economia Applicata all’Ingegneria di Catania (CSEI)
  • CIES - Scuola Superiore Majise - Centro di Ingegneria Economica e Sociale
  • Colosseum Combinatorial Chemistry Centre for Technology
  • Comitato di Parlamentari per l’Innovazione Tecnologica e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile – Onlus (COPIT)
  • Consorzio Campano di Ricerca per l'Informatica e l'Automazione Industriale (CRIAI)
  • Consorzio CETMA - Centro di Progettazione, Design e Tecnologie dei Materiali
  • Consorzio Italbiotec
  • Consorzio Italiano per la Ricerca in Medicina (CIRM)
  • Consorzio per la Ricerca in Elettronica Industriale Veneto (CREI VEN)
  • Consorzio per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica (CORITECNA)
  • Consorzio per la Sperimentazione e la Divulgazione delle Tecniche Irrigue (COTIR)
  • Consorzio Roma Ricerche
  • COTEC - Fondazione per l'Innovazione Tecnologica
  • Ev-K2-CNR - Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica in Alta Quota
  • Fondazione Biomedica Europea – Onlus (FBE)
  • Fondazione Carlo e Dirce Callerio
  • Fondazione di Ricerca Istituto Carlo Cattaneo
  • Fondazione ELBA
  • Fondazione Europea B. Ramazzini
  • Fondazione Istituto Gramsci
  • Fondazione Politecnico di Milano
  • Hydrocontrol
  • Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI)
  • Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri
  • Istituto Internazionale per gli Alti Studi Scientifici Eduardo R. Caianiello (IIASS)
  • Istituto Scientifico Biomedico Euro Mediterraneo (ISBEM)
  • Istituto Sperimentale Italiano Lazzaro Spallanzani
  • Istituto Superiore di Ricerca e formazione sui Materiali speciali per le Tecnologie avanzate (ISRIM)
  • Istituto Superiore Mario Boella (ISMB)
  • Marche Innovation Training (MIT)
  • Neuroscienze PharmaNess
  • SAGO - Società di Ricerca per l'Organizzazione Sanitaria
  • Scienter
  • Semeion - Centro Ricerche di Scienze della Comunicazione
  • Tecnoalimenti - Società Consortile di Ricerca Tecnobiologica applicata all'Industria Alimentare
  • TCN - Tecnologie per il calcolo numerico. Centro Superiore di Formazione

Associations, Institutions and Foundations Active in the Scientific and Technological Research and Development Segment

Associations
  • Agenzia Italiana per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea (APRE) (www.apre.it)
  • Confindustria (www.confindustria.it)
  • Conferenza dei Rettori delle Università Italiane (CRUI) (www.crui.it)
  • Rete Italiana per la Diffusione dell'Innovazione e il Trasferimento Tecnologico alle Imprese (RIDITT) (www.riditt.it)
  • Associazione Parchi Scientifici Tecnologici Italiani (APSTI) (www.apsti.it)
Institutions
  • Istituto per la Promozione Industriale (IPI) (www.ipi.it)
Foundations

Universities



Universities

The commitment of private and public universities in R&D is of immense importance: In 2006 alone 30.3% of the national overall expenditure for R&D was borne by the university structures. In recent years the investments aimed at national research programmes increased as did the number of different support possibilities for researchers and Ph. D. candidates. In Italy there are currently 95 universities, of which 67 are public (data 2006).

Companies

Italy's State funding of the R&D segment is, compared to USA, Great Britain, France and Germany extremely high; in contrast to private financing by companies, which is rather low and limited. The reason for this is, on the one hand, the absence of investment incentives, on the other hand Italian companies are characterised by being small or medium in size with about 100 employees, whereby the financial framework for R&D services is limited. For a renewal of the Italian production system in accordance with scientific-technological deadlines, Italian companies must be willing to make a structural renewal, which pre-supposes a specialisation in R&D.

The Science and Technology Parks

Behind the term Science Park or Science and Technology Park or Technology Pool or Technology Centre there is frequently a hidden conglomerate of different companies or an organisation and a particular activity. Therefore, numerous definitions have emerged:

Science and Technology Parks are the result of cooperation between companies, universities, institutions and public and private research centres. The aim is the promotion, development and coordination of research activities and innovations within a pre-defined boundary.
The technology park constitutes an interface between the main players in the region.
The development of regional competitiveness is ensured via knowledge transfer and the provision of innovation-supportive services.
The fundamental aims of all science and technology parks are the knowledge development and value creation of local productions by means of growth and transformation of entrepreneurial activities.

Technology parks use the following instruments: Incubation of new companies, finding ideas and the realisation of R&D projects and their dissemination, generation of venture capital, technology transfer, market analysis and support in the protection of intellectual property, site marketing for the attraction of national and international investors and training.
Parks merge the necessary innovations of the companies with the knowledge generated in the research centres. Science and technology parks have the legal form of a consortium, a cartel company or a share company with predominant private participation. Today there are thousands of companies, which with a turnover of more than 10 billion Euros are the partners of Italian parks.

The specialisations of the respective parks correlate with the specific industrial development of the region in order to ensure close links with the local industrial companies. The following core sectors are thus most frequently covered: ICT, agriculture and foods, biotechnology, automation and the environment.

The History of the Science and Technology Parks in Italy

The first Italian structures of science and technology parks were developed in the 1970s. In Bari and the Apulia Region in 1969, the first consortium named CSATA was founded involving the local university, private companies, banks and public facilities. In fact, the first park-like structures were only viewed as a fusion between universities, private companies and public facilities in the R&D sector. The State support was vital to the parks in the founding phase. This support in the R&D sector was, in relation to other European countries rather the exception. The following factors were included among the primary aims for the establishment of a science and technology park: Research, development, transfer and dissemination of technology and knowledge, qualitative and quantitative enhancement of the local production and administration activities,
site Qualification and Upvaluation of human resources.

Contribution of the Science and Technology Parks for Italian Regions

Currently there are, according to the Italian Network for Innovation Dissemination and Technology Transfer (RIDITT), 44 Science and Technology Parks in Italy. The Association of Italian Science and Technology Parks (APSTI) lists all active parks on its website.

Industrial Technology Districts

Industrial districts cover a larger regional area, in which numerous small and medium-sized companies in the segment are concentrated, which in addition are marked by strong integration. The specialisation of the individual companies is also characteristic, which divide up the district into different productions phases, and thus they act with each other in a sub-contractor relationship. The district model is very common in Italy. Altogether today there are about 200 districts. Typical features of Italian companies, which explain the success of the district form in Italy, are the small and medium-sized corporate size and the high degree of specialisation.

Centres of Excellence

The university centres of excellence in research were funded for the first time in 2000. The background of this funding was the support and promotion of research in an environment monitored by professors and lecturers. The respective universities must show the following criteria:
Inter/Multi-disciplinarity of the specialisation topics
Integration of research activities with further training
Scientific-industrial partnerships for the support of strategic research
Attraction of Italian and international researchers from aboard, mobilisation of researchers between universities and public and private research facilities.

The centres funded by MIUR must submit their applications in which they expose how they can become independent economically within three years , which can be achieved, for example, by the foundation of spin-offs.