The first fruits of a collaboration between Aspen Institute Italia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research in the area of innovation and the circulation of researchers. The proposals made in the conference on “Italian Talent Abroad” last April 16 and the subsequence meeting that brought Italian scientists from all over the world to the Farnesina were transformed into detailed reports on the key issues in Italian research and the birth of a digital platform to facilitate the sharing of ideas and information among researchers. Mario Raviglione, a member of the Aspen community and one of the four scientists in the task force to coordinate the project explains how the initiative came about and its implications for research in Italy
You presented the digital plaform Innovitalia. How was the project born and how does it work?
The project is the outcome of the work that started in the conference “Italian Scientists Worldwide and the Country’s Growth” organized last April 17 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the once organized by Aspen on April 16 (Italian Talent Abroad”). The platform Innovitalia is a result of the commitment by one of the four working groups created at the time. The other three groups worked to report to the Farnesina and other interested ministries on key issues for Italian research, such as visas for foreign researchers, regulations of the university and research system and the improvement of relations between research and business.
What contribution can Innovitalia make to the country?
The platform was created to facilitate links not only among Italian abroad but also among Italian scientists abroad and those working in Italy, stimulating integration among researchers and offering new educational opportunities. Someon has called it a “super Facebook” for research. The system allows discussions and the organization of scientists interested in specific fields. All of this allows for a sort of census of the energies available since the platform allows contact between people who were previously not included in other networks.
When will the platform be active and what are its goals?
It’s already active and various discussion groups are there already. It’s an open instrument, available to anyone who wants to take part and make proposals. I think that the most important goal is the project’s sustainability over time. For the network to work, it can’t be abandoned. Regular follow up on the platform will be needed in the future to ensure concrete results.
How did the Aspen working group “Italian Talent Abroad” contribute to the innovative experience?
The Ministry showed great involvement and determination, but we shouldn’t forget the natural influence of “Italian Talent Abroad” of Aspen Institute in this project. The three years of experience of the Aspen network have had a positive influence in the working group’s debate. But above, there was the motivation of the working groups that stimulated the ideas of all.
