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Research Networks

reti di ricerca

The University of Florence actively participates in European and international research networks and initiatives, fostering strategic collaborations that are highly integrated, interdisciplinary, and innovation-oriented. 

These collaborations contribute to:

  • competitive project design at the European level,
  • the development of new scientific infrastructures,
  • the enhancement of Unifi expertise in addressing global challenges.

This commitment is grounded in shared values such as co-design, territorial impact, sustainability, openness to society, and the promotion of knowledge, in line with the University's strategic goals.

Key European research networks and alliances include Joint Research Units (JRUs) and Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) operating in strategic areas such as climate, digital technologies, health, energy, food, culture, mobility, and manufacturing, among others. 

These experiences strengthen the University's research ecosystem, making it more inclusive, competitive, and better connected at the European level.

Joint Research Unit (JRU)

A Joint Research Unit (JRU) is a research structure established to promote scientific cooperation through formalized collaboration between research organizations, universities, or institutions. The goal is to pool resources, expertise, and infrastructures to address complex scientific challenges. JRUs are stable working groups without legal personality that support collaboration in specific scientific areas, enabling participating institutions to jointly manage a shared research agenda.

At the European level, JRUs are often established within the framework of strategic research infrastructures (such as those on the ESFRI roadmap), ensuring shared and sustainable governance.

Coordinated by the Institute of Bioeconomy of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), Phenitaly serves as the national reference for the European Infrastructure for Multi-scale Plant Phenotyping and Simulation for Food and Security in a Changing Climate (ESFRI EMPHASIS).

Emphasis  supports integrated access to plant phenotyping research infrastructures across Europe, offering advanced services for testing plant performance under different environmental conditions.

University structures involved:

  • Department of Agricultural, Food, Environmental and Forestry Sciences and Technologies (DAGRI)
  • Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff” (DICUS)

Contact Person: prof. Marco Bindi

Phen-Italy website

Natural Science Collections (NSC) have always been fundamental resources for research and innovation. In today’s digital and molecular data era, a new research approach is needed. The DiSSCo infrastructure addresses this by virtually unifying collections held in museums, botanical gardens, research centers, and universities into a single European portal, making them more accessible and interconnected.

University structures involved:

  • University Museum System (SMA)

Contact Person: prof. Davide Caramelli

DiSSCo website

Coordinated by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, this JRU aims to improve scientific understanding and support policy design through counterfactual impact evaluation (CIE) of public policies.

It also works to ensure the effective use and dissemination of results to benefit the public.

University structures involved:

  • Department of Economics and Management (DISEI)

Unifi Contact Persons: prof. Annalisa Caloffi and prof. Gianluca Stefani

Netciex website

A research infrastructure focused on the advanced characterization of composite materials at the atomic and molecular scale. It serves as the Italian hub of the UK-based ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source, providing access to unique and complementary techniques for multidisciplinary research in materials science, engineering, cultural heritage, and more.

University structures involved:

  • Department of Chemistry “Ugo Schiff” (DICUS)

Contact Person: prof. Massimo Bonini

ISIS@Mach website

Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC)

The Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) are European partnerships promoted by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to strengthen Europe’s innovation capacity. They bring together universities, research centers, businesses, and public institutions in ecosystems that integrate
education, research, and entrepreneurship to address major global challenges through educational, collaborative, and entrepreneurial initiatives.

There are currently nine active KICs, each focused on a strategic area:

  • Climate (Climate-KIC)
  • Digital (EIT Digital)
  • Health (EIT Health)
  • Energy (InnoEnergy)
  • Raw Materials (EIT RawMaterials)
  • Food (EIT Food)
  • Manufacturing (EIT Manufacturing)
  • Urban Mobility (EIT Urban Mobility)
  • Culture and Creativity (EIT Culture & Creativity)

As part of the EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda 2021-2027, a new KIC on Water, Marine and Maritime (KIC-WMM) is currently being developed. It will promote a circular and sustainable blue economy and will address three main challenges: water scarcity and extreme events, degradation of freshwater and marine ecosystems, and the development of a resilient blue economy. The KIC is expected to become operational in 2026, following the call for proposals scheduled for 2025. Among the proposals submitted, the one led by the Italian Co-Location Centre coordinated by the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) sees the participation of the University of Florence.