National Research Council (Italy)


The Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche or National Research Council, is the largest research council in Italy. As a public organisation, its remit is to support scientific and technological research. Its headquarters are in Rome.

History

The institution was founded in 1923. The first president was Vito Volterra, succeeded by Guglielmo Marconi. The process of improvement of the national scientific research, through the use of specific laws,, affects many research organizations, and amongst them is CNR, whose "primary function is to carry on, through its own organs, advanced basic and applied research, both to develop and maintain its own scientific competitiveness, and to be ready to take part effectively in a timely manner in the strategic fields defined by the national planning system".
On 23 December 1987, CNR registers the first Italian internet domain: cnr.it

Reorganization

With the issuing of the legislative decree of 30 January 1999, n. 19, which defines "The reorganization of the National Research Council" the central role of CNR in the Italian research system is confirmed.
In particular CNR is defined as a "national research organization, with general scientific competence and with scientific research institutes distributed across Italy, which carries out activities of primary interest for the promotion of science and the progress of the country".
CNR has the legal status of a public organization, and defines for itself autonomous rules and regulations, in accordance with the existing laws and the Civil Code.

Mission

The new CNR has the following mission and activities:
For the execution of these activities and any other activity related to them, CNR can stipulate agreements and contracts, establish or participate in consortia, foundations or societies with private or public parties, Italian or foreign.
In addition, through agreements or participation, CNR can implement programs, directives and regulations of the Regional governments or other Public Administrations, aimed to the dissemination of the research results in the economic system; it can also contribute to the realization of the conditions needed for the establishment of highly innovative enterprises.
Finally, CNR can participate in international research centers, in collaboration with analogous scientific institutions of other Countries.

Departments and research institutes

CNR is organized in seven departments and 106 research institutes, listed below:

Departments

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The "research areas" of CNR are regional centers aggregating institutions where some services are managed in a centralized manner. Conceived in 1979, the implementation phase set off in the mid-eighties with the creation of the first four areas of Montelibretti, Milan, Genoa and Potenza.