RESEARCH IN ITALY

The main actors in research and technological development activities are universities, public research institutes and private companies. The contribution of the private sector to research is mainly due to the activities of a few large companies.
 
Funds for research and technological development come mainly from the Ministry for Universities and Research (MIUR), but other central bodies also allocate funds to research activities, for example, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, and other relevant bodies.

A research assessment exercise was carried out at a central level by the CIVR, the National Committee for the Assessment of Research, in 2006. The results by research body and institution can be found on the Internet. A new national Agency for the assessment of universities and research (ANVUR), created in November 2006, should be operational soon for the assessment of teaching and research activities.
 
Further information
http://vtr2006.cineca.it/ Results of the research assessment VTR 2001-2003   
 

Specific Units have been created in universities to deal with questions connected with policies in relation to patents and intellectual property rights.