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NRRP Projects – Extended partnerships

The University of Bologna’s projects relating to NRRP investment “Enlarged partnerships between universities, research centres, businesses and funding of basic research projects” (M4C2 – Investment 1.3).

Extended partnerships fund 14 major research projects on the themes identified by the MUR as key for cultural, social, scientific, technological and medical development.

The following themes are covered:

Artificial intelligence
Green energy of the future
Environmental, natural and anthropic risks
Quantum science and technology
Humanistic culture and cultural heritage
Innovative diagnostics and therapies in precision medicine
Cybersecurity, new technologies and protection of rights
Effects and challenges of ageing
Economic and financial sustainability of systems and territories
Sustainable nutrition models
Circular and sustainable Made in Italy
Neuroscience and neuropharmacology
Emerging infectious diseases
Telecommunications of the future

Funding was awarded through a public call for applications, and only one of the projects submitted was selected for each theme. Extended partnerships are networks of State and non-State universities, public research institutions, businesses, and other public and private actors of renown, which operate within a hub-and-spoke governance model, with the hub carrying out management and coordination and the spokes carrying out research and innovation. The spokes submit regular reports to the hub, which in turn reports to the Ministry. Each partnership receives funding between €100 and 140 million.

The University of Bologna’s projects

The University of Bologna is a partner in every winning project selected for each theme (with the exception of partnership 4, in which we did not participate).

This means that all 13 projects (covering just as many themes) in which the University of Bologna is involved have been selected for funding.

The University is the proposer of the project selected for the “Economic and financial sustainability of systems and territories” theme. Moreover, within most winning projects, the University plays a key role in the organisation and coordination of the hubs, and is actively involved in specific research activities through the spokes.

At first, the programme of Mission 4, Component 2 for Extended partnerships also included Theme 15: Space activities. This theme was later excluded from the scope of Extended partnerships and has been funded through a call for applications published by the Italian Space Agency.

The 13 winning projects are:

Artificial intelligence: Foundational aspects (EP1) - FAIR – Future Artificial Intelligence Research

Theme: EP 1 - Artificial intelligence: Foundational aspects
Proposer: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Michela Milano
Funding: €114,493,643.75

Website

Goals

The FAIR partnership is the Italian scientific community’s response to the National Strategic Programme on Artificial Intelligence, which sets an ambitious goal for Italy – to become a global research and innovation hub of AI. According to the plan, innovative research in the field will advance by reducing AI fragmentation; increasing AI-based innovation and the development of AI technology; develop and adopt human-centred and trustworthy AI in the public and private sector; develop AI-driven policies and services in the public sector; and attract talent in the field. All this requires the AI system to be able to interact and collaborate with humans, perceive and act within evolving contexts, be aware of its own limitations and have the ability to adapt, interact appropriately in complex social settings, understand its own limitations in terms of security and reliability, and be attentive to the environmental and social impacts of its implementation. In order to address this challenge, FAIR has developed a multi-disciplinary approach to envision new AI forms that are:

Human-centred, to co-evolve at an individual and collective level
Integrative, bridging the gap across the different AI methods, technologies, disciplines and competences
Resilient, able to operate in challenging and uncertain real-world settings
Adaptive, to perceive, learn and act within changing environments
High-quality, meeting standards for high-risk, high-accuracy and safety-critical applications
Symbiotic, promoting effective human-machine interaction
Edge/exascale, operating at the infinitely small on the edge, and at the infinitely big on the cloud
Pervasive, operating ubiquitously in different social settings
Green-aware, considering the environmental dimension “by-design”

10. Sustainable and bio-cognitive, mimicking the principles of biological systems at multiple scales.

These ten themes will be the topics of ten large spoke projects, each of which will contribute from its own specific perspective.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN)
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" (Sapienza)
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA)
Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS)
Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro" (UNIBA)
Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE)
Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II" (UNINA)
Università della Calabria (UNICAL)
Università di Catania (UNICT)
Università di Pisa (UNIPI)
Università di Trento (UNITN)

Private actors

Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per l'Informatica (CINI)
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT)
Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (UNICAMPUS)
Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi (BOCCONI)
Bracco Imaging S.p.A.
Deloitte Risk Advisory S.R.L S.B.
Expert.ai S.p.A.
Intesa Sanpaolo S.P.A.
Leonardo S.p.A.
Lutech S.p.A.
STMicroelectronics s.r.l.

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Human-centred AI (leader: UNIPI)
Spoke 2 – Integrative AI (leader: FBK)
Spoke 3 – Resilient AI (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 4 – Adaptive AI (leader: POLIMI)
Spoke 5 – High-quality AI (leader: SAPIENZA)
Spoke 6 – Symbiotic AI (leader: UNIBA)
Spoke 7 – Edge and exascale AI (leader: POLITO)
Spoke 8 – Pervasive AI (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 9 – Green-aware AI (leader: UNICAL)
Spoke 10 – Sustainable bio-socio-cognitive AI (leader: IIT)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 8.

Energy scenarios of the future (EP2) - NEST – Network 4 Energy Sustainable Transition

Theme: EP 2 - Energy scenarios of the future
Proposer: Politecnico di Bari
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Michele Bianchi
Funding: €114,700,000

Goals

The NEST programme aims to connect major laboratories, university research groups and national research centres, by identifying key interdisciplinary skills in order to develop technologies for the conversion and use of renewable sources that should be sustainable, both from an environmental and a social point of view, resilient for energy production and distribution, and less subject to the risks deriving from the existing fossil fuel supply system. The ambition is to build a competent Italian leadership, strongly integrated with the territory and businesses, capable of supporting development towards sustainable and decarbonized energy production and distribution, and the growth of a new generation of energy technologies, researchers and research infrastructures for the sustainable and resilient energy sector of the future. The network created by NEST will act as an innovative ecosystem of excellence, able to promote innovation through the systematic connection of energy research with the production system as a whole. The implementation of the NEST programme is based on three major pillars:

Knowledge and human capital, by activating a long-term strategy to foster a new generation of researchers, entrepreneurs and Public Administration professionals with specific competence in the field of new and emerging energy technologies
Innovation flow, by placing investments on industrial research and infrastructures, through a proof-of-concept stream providing as outcomes technologies, processes and materials at a low-medium TRL 4-5
Technology transfer, with the NEST Consortium implementing actions to facilitate cooperation between public research groups and industrial partners, large companies, SMEs and start-ups.

In this way, NEST aims to respond to the need of several sectors of the Italian and European society, working to identify a path to sustain the transition to a green, independent and sustainable energy economy.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Politecnico di Bari (POLIBA)
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università di Genova (UNIGE)
Università di Pisa (UNIPI)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Università degli Studi di Cagliari (UNICA)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)
Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)
Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development – ENEA)

Private actors

Eurac Research (EURAC)
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)
Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology – IIT)
Arco FC s.r.l.
Engineering Ingegneria informatica S.p.a.
Exprivia S.p.a.
IDEA75 S.r.l.
Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A.
Iren S.p.a.
Istituto di Ricerca Ingenia S.r.l.
Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie S.r.l.
Snam S.p.a.

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Solar: PV, CSP, CST (leader: UNIPA)
Spoke 2 – Energy harvesting and off-shore renewable (leader: POLIBA)
Spoke 3 – Bio energy and new fuels for a sustainable future (leader: CNR)
Spoke 4 – Clean hydrogen and final uses (leader: UNIGE)
Spoke 5 – Energy conversion (leader: POLIMI)
Spoke 6 – Energy storage (leader: POLITO)
Spoke 7 – Smart sector integration (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 8 – Final use optimization, sustainability & resilience in energy supply chain (leader: SAPIENZA)
Spoke 9 – Energy-sustainable advanced materials (leader: CNR)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 4, Spoke 5, Spoke 6, Spoke 7 and Spoke 9.

Environmental, natural and anthropic risks (EP3) - RETURN – Multi-Risk sciEnce for resilienT commUnities undeR a changiNg climate

Theme: EP 3 - Environmental, natural and anthropic risks
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Alberto Montanari
Funding: €115,099,876.40

Goals

The RETURN partnership will address the “Environmental, natural and anthropic risks” theme to strengthen research chains at national level and to promote their participation in the European and global strategic value chains. The RETURN EP will contribute to strengthen key competences, technology and knowledge transfer, and the Italian governance in managing disaster risk, through the enhancement of basic knowledge (low TRL) towards technology application and exploitation (medium-high TRL), with the involvement of public administrations, stakeholders and private companies. The main scientific objectives of RETURN, in line with the new challenges posed by the goals and priorities of the Italian National Research Plan (PNR), are:

A better understanding of environmental, natural and anthropic risks, as well as their interrelation with the effects of climate change
Enhance risk forecasting and prevention, adaptation and mitigation methodologies
Develop new monitoring methodologies/technologies
Foster a more efficient and sustainable use of data, products and services
Strengthen the link between research and application, while improving competences, technology transfer and service integration.

Enhanced process understanding will improve predictive skills and promote the effective use of planning and forecasting tools towards developing an integrated framework that incorporates data from monitoring networks for different environmental, natural and anthropic risks – managed with both traditional and advanced technologies – with background data (demographic registries, cadastral registries, land use charts and topographic maps). The use of such integrated framework unlocks unprecedented opportunities in disaster risk management, removing the fragmentation of information and strengthening a holistic management within a multi-disciplinary culture.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università di Genova (UNIGE)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA)
Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)
Università degli Studi di Cagliari (UNICA)
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale (National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS)
Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development – ENEA)
Autorità di Bacino Distrettuale dell’Appennino Meridionale (District Basin Authority of the Southern Apennines)
Agenzia Regionale per la Prevenzione, l’Ambiente e l’Energia dell’Emilia-Romagna (Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy of Emilia-Romagna)
Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (Civil Protection Department)

Private actors

Fondazione Università Ca’ Foscari (Fondazione UNIVE)
Fondazione CIMA (CIMA)
Università degli Studi di Enna Kore (UNIKORE)
Eurac Research (EURAC)
AlmavivA SpA
Eni Rewind
Engineering Ingegneria Informatica SpA
Generali
Holding Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane
IREN

Project structure

Spoke 1 – VS1: Water (leader: POLIMI)
Spoke 2 – VS2: Ground instabilities (leader: SAPIENZA)
Spoke 3 – VS3: Earthquakes and volcanoes (leader: UNIBA)
Spoke 4 – VS4: Environmental degradation (leader: OGS)
Spoke 5 – TS1: Urban and metropolitan settlements (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 6 – TS2: Multi-risk resilience of critical infrastructures (leader: POLITO)
Spoke 7 – TS3: Communities’ resilience to risks: social, economic, legal and cultural dimensions (leader: UNIFI)
Spoke 8 – DS: Science underpinning climate services for risk mitigation and adaptation (leader: UNIBO)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 2, Spoke 3, Spoke 5, Spoke 6 and Spoke 8 (leader).

Humanistic culture and cultural heritage as innovation and creativity labs (EP5) - CHANGES – Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Sustainable Society

Theme: EP 5 - Humanistic culture and cultural heritage as innovation and creativity labs
Proposer: Università di Roma La Sapienza
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Giuliana Benvenuti
Funding: €115,900,000
Website

Goals

Italy has an immense cultural heritage: with 58 selected areas, it is the country with the most sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. However, the country is unable to fully express the economic and social potential of its cultural heritage. Against this background, the CHANGES – Cultural Heritage Active Innovation for Sustainable Society partnership aims to serve as a cross-disciplinary and multi-technology hub of national and international reference to implement education, scientific and technological research, teaching and technology transfer activities and support in the areas of cultural assets, of culture and of the protection of the historical and cultural heritage. The projects promoted by CHANGES aim to enhance the attractiveness of our cultural and historical heritage through new sustainable approaches and to implement an excellent public-private model to create new professional roles and employment methods, by strengthening collaborations between research and business, associations, private or public actors and institutions at a national and international level. All of this by adopting a two-way approach that encourages the dissemination of culture and scientific research to promote a revival of the economy together with social and territorial development, enhancing and strengthening the industrial and entrepreneurial system by reforming the collaborative system of universities, businesses and local administrations, based on the integration of skills, competences and needs.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa (SNSP)
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia (UNIVE)
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA)
Università degli Studi di Bergamo (UNIBG)
Università degli Studi di Catania (UNICT)
Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
Università degli Studi di Milano (UNIMI)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO)
Università degli Studi Roma Tre (ROMA TRE)
Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa (UNISOB)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)
Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI)
Istituto Centrale per il Restauro (Central Institute for Restoration – ICR)
Opificio delle Pietre Dure (OPD)

Private actors

Associazione Centro di Eccellenza DTC Lazio
Fondazione 1563 per l’Arte e la Cultura della Compagnia di San Paolo
Fondazione Sicilia
Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana fondata da Giovanni Treccani S.p.A.
Engineering Ingegneria Informatica S.p.A
EDIL CO. S.r.l.
Società Cooperativa Culture

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Historical landscapes, traditions and cultural identities (leader: UNIBA)
Spoke 2 – Creativity and intangible cultural heritage (leader: UNIMI)
Spoke 3 – Digital libraries, archives and philology (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 4 – Virtual technologies for museums and art collections (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 5 – Science and technologies for sustainable diagnostics of cultural heritage (leader: CNR)
Spoke 6 – History, conservation and restoration of cultural heritage (leader: UNICT)
Spoke 7 – Protection and conservation of cultural heritage against climate changes, natural and anthropic risks (leader: UNIFI)
Spoke 8 – Sustainability and resilience of tangible cultural heritage (leader: SAPIENZA)
Spoke 9 – Cultural resources for sustainable tourism (leader: UNIVE)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 2, Spoke 3, Spoke 4 (leader), Spoke 5, Spoke 6 and Spoke 7.

Innovative diagnostics and therapies in precision medicine (EP6) - HEAL ITALIA – Health Extended ALliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine

Theme: EP 6 - Innovative diagnostics and therapies in precision medicine
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Palermo
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Stefano Diciotti
Funding: €114,700,000
Website

Goals

The HEAL ITALIA partnership aims to create an extended alliance for innovative therapies, advanced lab-research and integrated approaches of precision medicine, based on a multi-disciplinary network of laboratories, clinical research centres and businesses. Sharing knowledge and technologies will allow reaching results with timeliness, in order to improve the quality of health services and take the Italian National Health Service into a new era of precision medicine. The HEAL ITALIA programme is designed according to a holistic and interdisciplinary vision, joining together fundamental and translational research with technology transfer, taking advantage of the capacities of major players from the academic, clinical and private sectors. By taking a One Health approach, HEAL ITALIA will empower research teams and infrastructures to face the challenge of identifying new phenotypes, by analysing the complexity of a wide spectrum of environmental, lifestyle and genotypic determinants of multigenic/multifactorial diseases, thus responding to the health needs of more vulnerable populations.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (Sapienza)
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (Tor Vergata)
Università degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca (UNIMIB)
Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE)
Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM)
Università di Pisa (UNIPI)
Università di Foggia (UNIFG)
Università degli Studi di Catania (UNICT)
Università degli Studi di Cagliari (UNICA)
Università degli Studi di Verona (UNIVR)
Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health – ISS)
Istituti Fisioterapici Ospitalieri – IRCCS (IFO-IRE)
IRCCS Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO Aviano)
IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna Unibo (Sant’Orsola)

Private actors

Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed I.R.C.C.S. (Neuromed)
Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences (TLS)
Upmc Italy Srl (UPMC)
Istituto Oncologico del Mediterraneo Spa (IOM)
Bi-rex - Big Data Innovation & Research Excellence (BI-REX)
Engineering Ingegneria Informatica S.P.A (Engineering)
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche “Mario Negri” (Mario Negri)
Opella Healthcare Italy S.R.L. (Opella)
S.I.T. – Sordina IORT Technologies S.P.A. (SIT)

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Holistic nosology (leader: Tor Vergata)
Spoke 2 – Intelligent health (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 3 – Prediction models (leader: UNIPA)
Spoke 4 – S4D Precision diagnostic (leader: Sapienza)
Spoke 5 – Next-gen therapeutics (leader: UNIMIB)
Spoke 6 – Health toolbox (leader: UNIMORE)
Spoke 7 – Prevention strategies (leader: UNIVPM)
Spoke 8 – Clinic exploitation (leader: UNIPI)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 1, Spoke 2 (leader), Spoke 3, Spoke 4, Spoke 5, Spoke 6, Spoke 7 and Spoke 8.

Cybersecurity, new technologies and protection of rights (EP7) - SERICS – Security and RIghts in the CyberSpace

Theme: EP 7 - Cybersecurity, new technologies and protection of rights
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Salerno
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Michele Colajanni
Funding: €114,499,997.53
Website

Goals

The SERICS partnership aims to design and develop innovative solutions to a number of key issues in terms of privacy and security, which damage the society, cause economic losses and prevent the implementation of smart city technologies.

This proposal sets out a broad research agenda that encompasses technical, legal and social issues affecting privacy and security, engaging the best researchers from business and academia and their competencies to address these issues.

Cybersecurity lies at the heart of developing innovation and digital transition policies, from which both national and international private organisations and public and government bodies can benefit. The projects launched by the SERICS Foundation aim to develop data protection strategies and tools with a view to improving economy, security and society.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Salerno (UNISA)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro" (UNIBA)
Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
Università degli Studi di Cagliari (UNICA)
Università degli Studi di Milano (UNIMI)
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia (UNIVE)
Università della Calabria (UNICAL)
Università di Genova (UNIGE)
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)
Scuola IMT Alti Studi Lucca (IMT)
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa (SSSA)

Private actors

Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale per l’Informatica (National Inter-University Consortium for Information Technology – CINI)
Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (National Inter-University Consortium for Telecommunications – CNIT)
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)
Fondazione Ugo Bordoni (FUB)
Deloitte
ENI
FINCANTIERI
ISP - Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A.
Leonardo S.p.A.
Telsy S.p.A.

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Human, social, and legal aspects (leader: CNR)
Spoke 2 – Misinformation and fakes (leader: UNISA)
Spoke 3 – Attacks and defences (leader: UNICA)
Spoke 4 – Operating systems and virtualization security (leader: UNIGE)
Spoke 5 – Cryptography and distributed systems security (leader: UNICAL)
Spoke 6 – Software and platform security (leader: UNIVE)
Spoke 7 – Infrastructure security (leader: POLITO)
Spoke 8 – Risk management and governance (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 9 – Securing digital transformation (leader: SAPIENZA)
Spoke 10 – Data governance and protection (leader: UNIMI)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 1 and Spoke 8 (leader).

Effects and challenges of ageing (EP8) - AGE-IT – Italian Ageing Society

Theme: EP 8 - Effects and challenges of ageing
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Firenze
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Marco Albertini
Funding: €114,700,000
Website

Goals

The Age-It partnership has designed an ambitious programme that aims to take a quantum leap in research on the complex and multi-faceted phenomenon of ageing, making Italy – as the most affected country – the leading scientific hub and a state-of-the-art “empirical laboratory” regarding the ageing process. The goals of Age-It include setting the gold standard in terms of socioeconomic, biomedical, policy and technological solutions for an inclusive ageing society. The ageing phenomenon poses challenges and risks, but offers ground-breaking opportunities to promote inclusive well-being for the society as a whole. The Age-It programme follows the view of the World Health Organization, promoting the adoption of policies and strategies based on the “active and healthy ageing” framework concept (WHO 2015). Accordingly, the old age is seen as a time in life in which individuals can use their maturity as a precious resource and an opportunity for building economically prosperous, socially just and environmentally sustainable societies.

Through its programme, Age-It will turn Italy into a benchmark for other, also non-European, rapidly ageing societies.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
Università degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca (UNIMIB)
Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale Amedeo Avogadro (UPO)
Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia (UNIVE)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi del Molise (UNIMOL)
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA)
Università della Calabria (UNICAL)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)
Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (National Institute of Statistics – INS)
Istituto Nazionale di Ricovero e Cura per gli Anziani (National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing – INRCA)
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati (SISSA)
Istituto Nazionale di Previdenza Sociale (National Social Security Institute – INPS)

Private actors

Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi (BOCCONI)
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UNICATT)
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele (UNISR)
Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed (NEUROMED)
Tech4Care srl
Generali Italia S.p.A.
HealthWare Group
Beta 80 S.p.A Software e Sistemi
Municipia S.p.a.

Project structure

Spoke 1 – The demography of ageing. A data science approach to decision-making (leader: UNIFI)
Spoke 2 – Improving the understanding of the biology of ageing (leader: CNR)
Spoke 3 – Clinical and environmental factors, functional status and multimorbidity:
Stratifying progression and prognosis of diseases, frailty and disability (leader: INRCA)
Spoke 4 – Trajectories for active and healthy ageing (behavioural and psychological determinants) (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 5 – Care sustainability in an ageing society (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 6 – Silver economy. Work, participation, retirement and welfare (leader: UNIVE)
Spoke 7 – Cultural and political dimensions of ageing societies (leader: BOCCONI)
Spoke 8 – Interventions to reduce the burden of age-related diseases, disorders and disabilities (leader: UNIMIB)
Spoke 9 – Advanced gerontechnologies for active and healthy ageing (leader: UNIFI)
Spoke 10 – Mainstreaming ageing by building institutional mechanisms for better and future-oriented policy making (leader: UPO)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 1, Spoke 3, Spoke 5 (leader), Spoke 7 and Spoke 10.

Economic and financial sustainability of systems and territories (EP9) - GRINS – Growing Resilient, INclusive and Sustainable

Theme: EP 9 - Economic and financial sustainability of systems and territories
Proposer: Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Matteo Cervellati
Funding: €115,900,000
Website

To respond to the need for a sustainable economic and financial development of systems and territories, GRINS – Growing Resilient, INclusive and Sustainable Extended Partnership will develop AMELIA (dAta platforM for the transfEr of knowLedge and statistIcal Analysis), an online data platform giving access to high-quality data and instruments for data analysis intended for a wide range of applications. GRINS will offer tools to support basic and applied research for businesses and households and for policy analysis and evaluation of the actions of public administrations. In line with the priorities set by the National Research Plan an in strict adherence to the fundamental goals of the NRRP, AMELIA will encourage knowledge creation and technology transfer to both public and private actors, as well as to the national research system itself, favouring resilient, inclusive and sustainable growth of systems, territories and related activities and providing accurate measurement and multi-disciplinary analysis of socio-economic conditions of the various actors of the economic system. GRINS will also focus on strategies to improve the provision of local public services and universal access to effective health care, as well as on the analysis of strategies and policies to improve adaptation to the green, digital and sustainable mobility transitions and the resilience of both private and public organisations to economic and financial shocks, creating enabling strategies to support sustainable finance, circular economy and low carbon policies. Specific attention will be devoted to the analysis of the local development of regions and cities and to the policies and actions that support it, reducing the North-South divide and improving social inclusion and cohesion.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)
Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia (UNIVE)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Catania (UNICT)
Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO)
Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA)
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Università degli Studi di Cagliari (UNICA)
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (UNITOV)
Università degli Studi di Bergamo (UNIBG)
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (SSSA)

Private actors

Associazione Nazionale fra le Imprese Assicuratrici
Centro Studi delle Camere di Commercio Guglielmo Tagliacarne s.r.l. (TAGLIACARNE)
CINECA Consorzio Interuniversitario
Fondazione Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC)
Istituto Einaudi per l'economia e la finanza (EIEF)
Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi (BOCCONI)
CRIF S.p.A.
Exprivia S.p.A.
INTESA SANPAOLO S.p.A.
Leithà S.r.l
Poste Italiane S.p.A.
PROMETEIA S.p.A.

Project structure

Spoke 0 – Data platform and knowledge transfer (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 1 – Firms’ sustainability (leader: BOCCONI)
Spoke 2 – Public sector, policy design and performance (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 3 – Households’ sustainability (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 4 – Sustainable finance (leader: UNIVE)
Spoke 5 – Innovation - ecosystems for the circular economy (leader: UNITO)
Spoke 6 – Low carbon policies (leader: UNIPD)
Spoke 7 – Territorial sustainability (leader: UNIBA)
Spoke 8 – Social sustainability (leader: UNICT)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 0 (leader), Spoke 1, Spoke 2 (leader), Spoke 3, Spoke 4, Spoke 5, Spoke 6, Spoke 7 and Spoke 8.

Sustainable nutrition models (EP10) - ONFOODS – Research and innovation network on food and nutrition Sustainability, Safety and Security - Working ON Foods

Theme: EP 10 - Sustainable nutrition models
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Parma
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Matteo Vittuari
Funding: €114,500,000.00
Website

Goals

The programme proposed by the On Foods partnership addresses the increasingly complex stages and actors involved in the food supply chain, from food production to processing, distribution, retail marketing, consumption, and waste disposal, together with their environmental and social impacts.

Inspired by the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (end poverty, improve health and education, reduce inequalities, support economic growth and take climate action to protect the planet), On Foods aims to launch tools and basic research projects to strengthen research chains at national level and promote their participation in the European and global strategic value chains, thus generating a tangible impact on people’s health and well-being, helping to preserve the planet and ensuring that everyone has access to good nutrition. On Foods understands sustainability as the identification of patterns of production and consumption that respect natural resources and their usual rhythms, focussing on long-term resilience and avoiding depletion of resources and environmental degradation through a new, sustainable nutrition model.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Parma (UNIPR)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Libera Università di Bolzano (UNIBZ)
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA)
Università degli Studi di Catania (UNICT)
Università degli Studi di Milano (UNIMI)
Università degli Studi di Milano – Bicocca (UNIMIB)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Pavia (UNIPV)
Università di Pisa (UNIPI)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)
Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – CREA)
Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Tecnologie, l’Energia e lo Sviluppo Economico Sostenibile (National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development – ENEA)

Private actors

Fondazione Edmund Mach
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Tecnoalimenti S.C.p.A.
Barilla G. e R. Fratelli S.p.A.
Bolton Food S.p.A.
Cirfood Sc
De’ Longhi Appliances S.r.l.
Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed S.p.A.
Sacco S.r.l.

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Global sustainability (leader: UNIPR)
Spoke 2 – Smart and circular food system and distribution (leader: CNR)
Spoke 3 – Food safety of traditional and novel foods (leader: UNIBA)
Spoke 4 – Food quality and nutrition (leader: UNIMI)
Spoke 5 – Lifelong nutrition (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 6 – Tackling malnutrition (leader: UNIPV)
Spoke 7 – Policy behaviour and education (leader: UNIBO)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 2, Spoke 3, Spoke 4, Spoke 5 and Spoke 7 (leader).

Circular and sustainable Made in Italy (EP11) - Made in Italy Circolare e Sostenibile - MICS

Theme: EP 11 - Circular and sustainable Made in Italy
Proposer: Politecnico di Milano
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Flaviano Celaschi
Funding: €114,500,000.31
Website

Goal

Made in Italy products are renowned worldwide for their excellence, especially in the sectors of Clothing and Fashion, Design, Mechanical Automation, and Food.

The partnership covers the first three sectors mentioned above, through a programme for the sustainable and circular evolution of our national products of excellence. The research to be carried out encourages an interdisciplinary approach to the development of highly technological materials and of sustainable design and manufacturing processes capable of recovering waste and residual raw materials in an innovative way across all stages and actors of the supply chains. Its ambitious goal is to maximise circularity and achieve closed-loop design and manufacturing for Made in Italy products and services, providing for their potential zero-impact disposal or full recycling, re-use and/or re-manufacturing, while ensuring reliability, safety and responsible energy use. By sharing knowledge and specialist competencies and by using Digital Twins and research infrastructures, the project aims to implement and encourage projects with high scientific content and of great interest for the main supply chains of Made in Italy. The above in order to create a sustainable and competitive economy capable of bringing about a new concept of factory and consumption for Made in Italy, thanks to a zero-waste, non-polluting and zero-environmental impact technology that is human-centred, socially and environmentally oriented, inclusive, safe, self-sufficient and self-healing.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Politecnico di Bari (POLIBA)
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Università degli Studi di Bergamo (UNIBG)
Università degli Studi di Brescia (UNIBS)
Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Palermo (UNIPA)
Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)

Private actors

Aeffe Spa
Brembo Spa
Camozzi Group Spa
Cavanna Spa
Italtel Spa
Itema Spa
Leonardo Spa
Natuzzi Spa
Prima Additive Srl
Sacmi Imola S.C.
SCM Group Spa
Stazione sperimentale per l’industria delle pelli e delle materie concianti Srl
Thales Alenia Space Italia Spa

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Digital advanced design: technologies, processes, and tools (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 2 – Eco-design strategies: products, services, and systems – Product-Service System (PSS) (leader: UNIFI)
Spoke 3 – Green and sustainable products & materials from non-critical & secondary raw sources (leader: CNR)
Spoke 4 – Smart and sustainable materials for circular and augmented industrial products and processes (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 5 – Closed-loop, sustainable, inclusive factories and processes (leader: POLIMI)
Spoke 6 – Additive manufacturing as disruptive enabler of the twin transition (leader: POLITO)
Spoke 7 – New and consumer-driven business models for resilient and circular supply chains (leader: POLIBA)
Spoke 8 – Digitally-oriented factory design and management through AI and data driven approaches (leader: UNIPD)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 1 (leader), Spoke 2, Spoke 3 and Spoke 4.

Neuroscience and neuropharmacology (EP12) - MNESYS – A multiscale integrated approach to the study of the nervous system in health and disease

Theme: EP 12 - Neuroscience and neuropharmacology
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Genova
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Pietro Cortelli
Funding: €114,700,000.00
Website

Goals

As delineated in the National Research Plan, the MNESYS partnership promotes a biomedical research programme based on an integrated interdisciplinary approach, focussing on molecular, clinical and computational neuroscience in particular, to bridge the fragmentation of research, also due to the different core competencies and professional figures involved in these areas. The MNESYS project aims to develop new approaches for experimental and clinical neuroscience within the perspective of tailored and predictive precision medicine, with an impact also on the treatment of nervous system and behavioural disorders. The research, which is structured around sub-projects, will focus

on a small number of key topics, highly relevant for understanding the nervous system functions in health and disease, with the objective of identifying major pathological drivers of different conditions, allowing: 1) the assessment of biomarkers to identify patients at preclinical or early stages of a disease, allowing to set up individually tailored and preventive strategies for improving prognosis and the patient’s quality of life; 2) the identification of new cellular and molecular targets for the development of innovative neuropharmacological tools; 3) the setup of biology-inspired digital twins, driven by multimodal data and relying on intrinsically multi-scale computational techniques. A medium-long term goal may lead to genomically informed and individually tailored treatments, based on the patient’s own genetics, biological profile, environment and habits.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Genova (UNIGE)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli (UNICAMPANIA)
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA)
Università degli Studi di Ferrara (UNIFE)
Università degli Studi di Firenze (UNIFI)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (UNITOV)
Università degli Studi di Parma (UNIPR)
Università degli Studi di Pavia (UNIPV)
Università degli Studi di Verona (UNIVR)
Università degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro (UNICZ)
IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino
IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna (Institute of Neurological Sciences of Bologna – ISNB)
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa (SSSA)
European Brain Research Institute Rita Levi Montalcini (EBRI)

Private actors

Fondazione Telethon Ets
Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi Onlus
San Raffaele Roma Srl
Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù
Synlab Sdn Spa
Dompé Farmaceutici Spa
Alfasigma Spa
Asg Superconductors Spa
Takis Srl Scm Group Spa (Scm)

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Neurodevelopment, social cognition and interaction (leader: UNIPR)
Spoke 2 – Neuronal plasticity and connectivity (leader: UNICAMPANIA)
Spoke 3 – Neuronal homeostasis and brain-environment interaction (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 4 – Perception and brain-body interaction (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 5 – Mood and psychosis (leader: UNIFE)
Spoke 6 – Neurodegeneration, trauma and stroke (leader: UNIGE)
Spoke 7 – Neuroimmunology and neuroinflammation (leader: UNIVR)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 1, Spoke 4 (leader), Spoke 5, Spoke 6 and Spoke 7.

Emerging infectious diseases (EP13) - INF-ACT – One Health Basic and Translational Research Actions addressing Unmet Needs on Emerging Infectious Diseases

Theme: EP 13 - Emerging infectious diseases
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Pavia
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Pierluigi Viale
Funding: €114,500,000.00
Website

Goals

The recent SARS-Covid 19 pandemic has shown us once again the crucial importance of researching emerging infectious diseases. The ambitious programme of the INF-ACT partnership focusses on emerging infectious diseases with a view to activating wide spectrum research based on an integrated multi-disciplinary approach, starting with the identification of the main existing and potentially emerging threats. Research will require cross-cutting competencies to tackle the issue of potential epidemics based on a One Health approach, that is to say, by integrating aspects of human, animal and environmental health, from epidemic events and spillover phenomena to climate changes that affect wildlife habits and human-wildlife interactions, resulting in a scientific impact with operational and organisational consequences at national and European level. All this with a view to creating a solid research infrastructure and health care IT systems to share data and expertise, strengthening their crucial aspects to support population health and assess the health care system performance, translating health information into useful data for the governments and health care systems to support public health policies that also contribute to reducing inequalities.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Pavia (UNIPV)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (SAPIENZA)
Università degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro (UNIBA)
Università degli Studi di Cagliari (UNICA)
Università degli Studi di Milano (UNIMI)
Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)
Università degli Studi di Siena (UNISI)
Università degli Studi di Torino (UNITO)
Università di Catania (UNICT)
Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health – ISS)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)

Private actors

Associazione Istituti Zooprofilattici Sperimentali (AIZS)
Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)
Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù
Fondazione Istituto Nazionale di Genetica Molecolare (National Institute of Molecular Genetics – INGM)
Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico
Humanitas University (HUNIMED)
Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione s.r.l. (ISMETT)
Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Casa filiale della Congregazione dei Poveri Servi della Divina Provvidenza (SACROCUORE)

Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UNICATT)
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele (UNISR)
Istituto Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri (IRFMN)
Soc. IRBM S.p.A.

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Emerging and re-emerging viral threats (leader: UNIPV)
Spoke 2 – Arthropod vectors and vector-borne pathogens (leader: UNIPD)
Spoke 3 – Antimicrobial resistance (leader: UNICT)
Spoke 4 – Epidemiology, monitoring and modelling (EPI-MOD) (leader: ISS)
Spoke 5 – New therapeutic strategies (leader: CNR)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 1, Spoke 2, Spoke 3, Spoke 4 and Spoke 5.

Telecommunications of the future (EP14) - RESTART – RESearch and innovation on future Telecommunications systems and networks, to make Italy more smart

Theme: EP 14 - Telecommunications of the future
Proposer: Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata
Scientific coordinator for the University of Bologna: Professor Alessandro Vanelli Coralli
Funding: €115,902,093.13
Website

Goals

The RESTART partnership brings together the main stakeholders in the Italian telecommunications sector to implement specific research projects that deliver tangible and measurable results, engaging universities, research centres, businesses and public administrations to build a global framework with a long-term vision, cross-cutting and support actions, and appropriate enabling factors and tools. All this in order to create virtuous cycles, with a view to achieving structural improvements and developing research in a comprehensive and long-lasting way; to strengthen the link between scientific excellence and business; to implement the ability to use TLC across a variety of sectors and launch specific initiatives for industrial districts and the South, including support for the design and creation of technology hubs and innovation ecosystems. RESTART promotes and enables the advancement of TLC technology and science, including all related systems and networks, for both human and non-human users (e.g. 5G/6G, high-capacity fixed infrastructure, IoT, edge/core-cloud). Connectivity is a key and basic component of digital transformation – a indispensable technology for all sectors and a prerequisite for all modern applications and services.

Consortium members

Universities and research institutes

Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (Tor Vergata)
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (UNIBO)
Politecnico di Bari (POLIBA)
Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)
Politecnico di Torino (POLITO)
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna di Pisa (SSSA)
Università degli Studi Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria (UNIRC)
Università degli Studi di Catania (UNICT)
Università di Firenze (UNIFI)
Università di Napoli Federico II (UNINA)
Università di Padova (UNIPD)
Università di Roma La Sapienza (Sapienza)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (National Research Council – CNR)

Private actors

Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (National Inter-University Consortium for Telecommunications – CNIT)
Fondazione Ugo Bordoni (FUB)
Athonet s.r.l.
Ericsson Telecomunicazioni S.p.A.
Italtel S.p.A.
Leonardo S.p.A.
Open Fiber S.p.A.
Prysmian S.p.A.
TIESSE S.p.A.
TIM Italia S.p.A.
Vodafone Italia S.p.A.
WIND Tre S.P.A.

Project structure

Spoke 1 – Pervasive and photonic network technologies and infrastructures (leader: CNR)
Spoke 2 – Integration of networks and services (leader: POLIBA)
Spoke 3 – Wireless networks and technologies (leader: POLIMI)
Spoke 4 – Programmable networks for future services and media (leader: POLITO)
Spoke 5 – Industrial and digital transition networks (leader: UNIBO)
Spoke 6 – Innovative architectures and extreme environments (leader: UNICT)
Spoke 7 – Green and smart environments (leader: UNINA)
Spoke 8 – Intelligent and autonomous systems (leader: Tor Vergata)

The University of Bologna participates in Spoke 1, Spoke 2, Spoke 3, Spoke 4, Spoke 5 (leader) and Spoke 7.

Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (Italian Space Agency) - Space activities, formerly EP15

Project under evaluation.
At first, the programme of Mission 4, Component 2 for Extended partnerships also included Theme 15: Space activities. This theme was later excluded from the scope of Extended partnerships and has been funded through a call for applications published by the Italian Space Agency.

UniboMagazine news

Mosquito Alert is back: The NRRP funds for research on mosquitoes promote participated science – 11 May 2023
Research and NRRP: Working to improve the well-being of the elderly and their caregivers – 11 May 2023
Precision Medicine: The HEAL ITALIA extended partnership has kicked off and Alma Mater will lead one of its Spokes – 19 December 2022
Emerging infectious diseases: Alma Mater joins the INF-ACT Foundation – 5 December 2022
Environmental risks: The RETURN extended partnership has kicked off and Alma Mater will lead one of its Spokes – 2 December 2022
NRRP Extended partnerships: Yet another great achievement for Alma Mater – 3 August 2022