What is a Department of Excellence?

MUR Department of Excellence 2023–2027

Departments of Excellence are selected and funded every five years by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) as the top 180 departments among Italy’s state universities. These departments are recognized for the high quality of their research output and the excellence of their proposed development projects.

Rather than being traditional research projects with defined scientific outcomes, these initiatives are aimed at strengthening departmental infrastructure in a specific research area. The goal is to enhance the department’s competitiveness both nationally and internationally.

The selected departments receive special funding from MUR to support:

• Recruitment of top researchers
• Upgrading research infrastructure
• Promoting international cooperation
• Enhancing teaching quality and research outcomes

This program is part of a broader strategy to reinforce the Italian higher education and research system and increase its global visibility and impact.

Legal Framework and Funding

The initiative was introduced by Law 232 of 2016 (the 2017 Budget Law) and represents an innovative and well-funded intervention. Every five years, 180 departments across the 14 CUN disciplinary areas are selected based on the quality of their research and development plans, with €271 million allocated annually to the program.

Selection Process

The process follows these main phases, as outlined in Article 1, paragraphs 314–337 of Law 232/2016:

1. Initial Ranking: A preliminary ranking of the top 350 university departments is created using the Standardized Departmental Performance Indicator (ISPD), developed by ANVUR upon request from MUR.
2. Project Submission: Universities can nominate up to 15 departments, each submitting a five-year development project with a corresponding financial plan.
3. Financial Plan: Proposals must include costs for hiring new staff, staff bonuses, infrastructure, and high-level educational and research activities.
4. Evaluation Commission: A 7-member Commission evaluates proposals. Members are appointed by ministerial decree and include:
   - 2 members directly chosen by the Minister (one serves as President),
   - 1 member nominated by the Prime Minister,
   - 4 members from lists proposed by ANVUR and the National Committee for Research Guarantees (CNGR).
5. Final Ranking: The Commission evaluates each department by combining the ISPD score (max 70 points) and the development project score (max 30 points), respecting area-specific quotas set by the Minister.

Funding Allocation

The 180 selected Departments of Excellence receive annual funding for five years, depending on their size category (“dimensional quintile”):

• €1.080 million to €1.620 million per year
• Departments in CUN areas 1–9 receive an additional €250,000 annually dedicated to research infrastructure.

Achievement of the proposed objectives and proper use of funds will be evaluated at the end of the funding period.

List of the 180 Departments of Excellence 2023–2027

Click here to view the official list (PDF)