Innovation, competitiveness and a dialogue between research, industry and universities that give Italy and Europe a leading scientific and technological role: this is the 2024 appointment in Trieste with the Big Science Business Forum (Bsbf). “Trieste’s candidacy has become a reality”, thanks to “a work in which the alliance between the institutions has managed to bring home important results for the country system”, said the president of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Massimiliano Fedriga, in the event that in Rome brought together the ministers of University and Research Anna Maria Bernini, of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, of Business and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso and the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi. Next to them, the presidents of the public research bodies that are protagonists of international scientific enterprises, such as the National Research Council (Cnr), the National Institute of Astrophysics (Inaf), the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (Infn) and the Area Science Park.
Victory
Bringing the Big Science forum to Trieste was a great victory over the candidacies of Switzerland, with Geneva, and the Netherlands, with Maastricht. «Great satisfaction» of Minister Bernini for the Italian headquarters of the forum, alongside the «idea of creating a new market, not only in Italy, but on an international level». For this reason, he added, the forum should be considered as a sort of “viaticum for future initiatives that guarantee a connection between subjects who cannot fail to interact”. The purpose of Big Science, Bernini said again, is in fact «to leave a mark for new initiatives». Also for Minister Urso “we need to invest in research, science and innovation to be a competitive country”.
The next challenges
Once this important challenge has been won, Urso added, we must think about the next ones, such as Milan’s candidacy to host the Single Patent Court and Expo 2030 in Rome. Then there is the great challenge of energy and the environment, said Pichetto Fratin, with the progressive farewell to coal, oil and gas and the parallel development of renewable energies. A challenge, he added, which “I believe we can win at a world level and at a European level”.
Big chance
The Big Science forum is “a great opportunity” also for the president of the CNR, Maria Chiara Carrozza: it arrives, she said, after “we have invested a lot over the years, with entrepreneurial initiatives, scientific diplomacy and excellence”. For the president of INAF, Marco Tavani, the forum is “a very nice opportunity, which strengthens the link between research, industry and university”, already activated thanks to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr). What matters is that Italian research continues to form a system, pointed out the president of Infn, Antonio Zoccoli: “Fostering virtuous relations between research and industry strengthens the leadership of a country in specific scientific and productive sectors”. In economic terms, «for every euro invested in contracts and tenders for the purchase of advanced services and technologies. three are included», said the president of Area Science Park, Caterina Petrillo. «This demonstrates she-she added she-she that there is a tangible economic impact on the territories hosting research infrastructures».
Italy wins the Big Science 2024 forum, appointment in Trieste