Italy’s Ministry of University and Research (MUR) has allocated €30 million under the Three-Year Research Plan 2026–2028 to strengthen the internationalisation of the national research system and expand Italy’s participation in major European and global scientific cooperation programmes. The initiative is aimed at boosting collaboration in priority research areas and enhancing Italy’s competitiveness in international innovation networks.
The plan, strongly supported by Minister Anna Maria Bernini, introduces structural reforms such as fixed deadlines for funding calls, a unified funding mechanism, and more stable financial resources for universities and research institutions. These measures are intended to improve efficiency and long-term planning in research funding.
A significant share of the €30 million, up to €21 million, will support Italian participation in European Partnerships and co-financed international research and development projects under EU frameworks. These initiatives will focus on strategic sectors including digital technologies, health and biotechnology, green transition, agri-food systems, and enabling technologies such as microelectronics and semiconductors.
Additional funding includes €6 million dedicated to semiconductor research to strengthen industrial and technological competitiveness, and €3 million for bilateral cooperation agreements supporting strategic partnerships, including engagement with regions such as Central Asia and Latin America under broader foreign cooperation strategies.
The funding forms part of a wider national research investment effort that brings total MUR resources for 2026 to over €409 million, complementing other programmes such as PRIN 2026, PRIN Hybrid, and the new Synergy Grant scheme.
