ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA (IIT)

The Italian Institute of Technology Foundation is intended to promote Italy's technological development and advanced education, consistent with national policies for scientific and technological development, thus strengthening the national production system. For this purpose the Foundation: helps and accelerates the development, within the national research system, of scientific and technological skills able to facilitate state of the art technological advancements of the national production s... ystem; develops innovative methods and know-how, in order to facilitate new high-level practices and positive competitive mechanisms in the field of national research; promotes and develops scientific and technological excellence, both directly, through its multi-disciplinary research laboratories, and indirectly, through a wide collaboration with national and international laboratories and research teams; carries out advanced training programmes as a part of wider multi-disciplinary projects and programmes; fosters a culture based on sharing and valuing results, to be used in order to improve production and for welfare-related purposes, both internally and in relation to the entire national research system; creates technological understanding about components, methods, processes and techniques to be used for the implementation and interconnection of innovative products and services, in strategic areas for the competitiveness of the national production system; pools research scientists operating in various research institutes and establishes cooperation agreements with high-level, specialised centres; promotes interactions between basic research and applied research facilities, encouraging experimental development; spreads transparent, merit-based selection mechanisms for research scientists and projects, in compliance with globally approved and established criteria. History The IIT Foundation was established at the end of 2003 with law 326, voted on November 24th, 2003. In the initial two-year period, completed on October 2nd, 2005, the Institute planned and defined its initial activities, and specifically its governance, scientific plans and initial training initiatives. The Institute's final organisation has been reported in the IIT Charter, issued by the President of the Republic.More