The research network

Emilia-Romagna is one of Europe’s top regions for research. The public sector alone employs 8,000 researchers, which represents 8,1% of the national total.

Firstly, the National Research Centre (CNR) has a large number of branches in the region: no less than 13 institutes.

The national agency for energy and the environment (ENEA) also has a significant presence in the region, with the highest concentration of research laboratories together with Lazio.

Universities also make a major contribution to the research system: almost 6,400 university lecturers and researchers works in a technical/scientific field. There is also a network of centres focusing on specific sectors, usually connected with the region’s most established industries, such as agro-food, mechanical engineering, textiles and ceramics.

High technology network
The region’s experience in research and innovation has given rise to the High-technology Network, which brings together the laboratories that have emerged thanks to PRRIITT and the other public and private research and development centres operating in the region. 

There are 22 structures equipped for research, innovation and technological transfer: 14 laboratories and 8 innovation centres, the fruit of a recent merger of numerous previously existing entities that aim for greater functionality and efficiency.

Their work focuses chiefly on Emilia-Romagna’s traditional sectors, such as high-technology mechanical engineering, agribusiness and construction, but also on fields that have emerged in recent years and are now increasingly important, such as environment, life sciences and information technology.

The creation of technopolises as part of the High Technology network in the period 2007-2013, as areas equipped with laboratories, incubators and managerial support with the aim of becoming the meeting place for public operators for research and business systems.

Technological transfer in Emilia-Romagna is also supported by Aster, a consortium comprising the Regional Administration, the universities, the research centres (ENEA and CNR), Unioncamere and the main business associations: it acts as an agency for technological transfer, with the task of bringing the various parties involved in the system of innovation into contact with each other, with particular reference to research centres on the one hand, and businesses (especially small and medium enterprises) on the other.