Departments of Excellence

The Departments of Excellence represent an innovative and financially supportive intervention, provided for by Law 232/2016 (2017 Budget Law). The intervention aims to identify and finance, every five years and within the 14 CUN areas, the best 180 Departments of State Universities. These are Departments that stand out for the quality of the research produced and the quality of the development project, to which an annual budget of €271 million is allocated.

Selection steps.

1. on the basis of the Standardised Departmental Performance Indicator (ISPD), defined by ANVUR at the request of MIUR, a preliminary ranking of the best 350 departments of state universities is drawn up;

2. within this ranking, each university may submit, for up to 15 departments, a five-year department development project, accompanied by a financial programme;

3. the financial programme includes staff recruitment, staff bonuses, research infrastructure and highly qualified teaching and scientific activities;

4. the project is submitted to the evaluation of a seven-member commission, appointed by decree of the Minister, two of whom are chosen by the Minister (including the President), one indicated by the President of the Council of Ministers, four designated by the Minister from two short-lists of three members each indicated respectively by ANVUR and the National Committee of Research Guarantors;

5. the Commission, by combining the ISPD score (max 70 points) and the evaluation of the projects (max 30 points), styles a final ranking of the 180 Departments of Excellence, also taking into account the maximum number of departments that can be financed for each of the 14 CUN areas (established by the Minister himself with the decree appointing the Commission).

Funding Beneficiaries

Depending on the size quintile in which they are located, the 180 selected Departments will be able to count on an annual budget of between EUR 1,620 million and EUR 1,080 million for five years. Departments in CUN areas 1 to 9 will also be allocated a budget of 250,000 euro per year earmarked for research infrastructures. The achievement of the objectives envisaged by the departmental project and the correct use of the allocated budget will be subject to final assessment..

For the first five-year period of the Departments of Excellence, relating to the period 2018 - 2022, the list of 350 Departments, the Minister's Decree appointing the Commission and allocating the 180 Departments eligible for funding among the 14 CUN areas, the list of the 180 Departments admitted to funding and the financial allocation for each University are reported.

	List of Departments of Excellence
	List of 180 winning departments 2018 - 2022
	ISPD-ANVUR methodological note
	Funding allocated to the universities of the 180 winning departments 2018 - 2022