A crossroads of people, culture and knowledge, Tuscany has offered the world art, genius, science, dialogue and invention for millennia. Today, the region boasts a prestigious network of universities, schools, academies, research centres, libraries, museums and cultural institutes, representing its most important modern heritage. This knowledge system has deep roots in the past, yet looks to the future.
Four universities in Florence, Pisa and Siena; three schools of specialisation and advanced education such as the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, the Scuola Normale Superiore, and the IMT Institute for Advanced Studies of Lucca; national public research bodies such as the National Research Council (CNR), the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the Council for Agricultural Research and the Analysis of Agricultural Economics (CREA), the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), and branches of research organisations such as the Italian Institute of Technology (ITT).
The Tuscan research and innovation system, comprising universities, public and private research centres, enterprises, and public institutions, is characterised by a clear vision of the future and shared objectives. Recognising that research has significant implications for the competitiveness of enterprises and the labour market, as well as for environmental and social sustainability, growth, and the well-being and quality of life of current and future generations, institutions and research bodies have collaborated to develop a shared long-term action plan.