The workshop “Research Infrastructures for Innovation” took place on April 22 at the Marconi Hall of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) in Rome. The event was promoted by the Technical and Organising Committee of Research Managers within the framework of ongoing activities on the sustainability of Research Infrastructures in the post-PNRR phase.
The event gathered 115 participants in person and over 80 unique online connections. Among the speakers were Andrea Lenzi, CNR President, Salvatore Capasso Director of the Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Heritage (CNR DSU), Michele Mazzola, Head of Research Internationalisation at the Italian Ministry of University and Research, and Giuseppe Magnifico, Head of the CNR Grant and Research Infrastructures Office.
H2IOSC Research Manager
The programme was structured into three main sessions. In the first session, representatives of the Operational Partnerships across the six ESFRI domains – Digital (Michela Natilli), Energy (Michela Vellico), Environment (Giuseppe Gargano), Health & Food (Francesca Spataro and Sofia Ingrosso), Physical Sciences & Engineering (Alfredo Picano), and Social & Cultural Innovation (Veronica Colautti) – presented the results of validation and co-design activities carried out in recent months with companies and other stakeholders.
The second session featured a roundtable with representatives from six companies and associations – including NETENGINE, ETT Solutions, OCEM Power Electronics, the Artes 4.0 Competence Center, the Consorzio di Tutela del Limone di Sorrento IGP and Cooperativa Solagri, STAM Srl, and Campania Digital Innovation Hub. The discussion, moderated by Barbara Angelini from the CNR Research Valorisation Office, focused on the role of industry in the development of Research Infrastructures.
The final session addressed the sustainability of Research Infrastructures in the post-PNRR phase. Contributions by Vittorio Cannas (INGV, Manager of the MEET infrastructure) and Riccardo Fontanelli (CNR, Network Manager of I-PHOQS) proposed a perspective that goes beyond the purely financial dimension. Sustainability cannot be predefined but must be managed over time through the progressive validation of operational assumptions, structured stakeholder engagement, and the ability to translate collected evidence into concrete decisions. This includes adopting a demand-driven approach guided by the needs of industry and society, as well as a “dual-track” strategy that maintains the institutional mission of Open Science while developing a structured B2B commercial offering, supported by new Business Units dedicated to technology transfer, grants, and intellectual property management.
The event is part of an operational pathway launched in 2024, progressively involving companies, research organisations, and institutions. Activities will continue within the framework of Thematic Collaborative Networks, with further opportunities for discussion and knowledge exchange.
The workshop was organised by the Technical and Organising Committee composed of Marco Sprocati (CNR), Veronica Colautti (CNR), Francesca Spataro (CNR), Riccardo Fontanelli (CNR), and Vittorio Cannas (INGV), with the co-organisation of the CNR Department of Social Sciences and Cultural Heritage.
Source: CNR News