There is a fresh wind of hope for young italian scientists amidst the recent government restrictions to temporary employments. It comes from a regional Institution, Regione Piemonte, an example to be followed iby other counties in order to provide adequately to the innovation needs of industry and public research bodies. Recently, in a meeting with authorities of Puglia Region, I suggested that in addition to the salary the regional authority should provide included in the grants also a budget to cover research costs in authonomy from the burocracy of the hosting Institute.

Ricerca: il Piemonte investe 40 milioni di euro
contro la “fuga di cervelli”

Firmato a Roma l’accordo tra la Regione Piemonte e CNR, INRIM, INFN, ENEA
Roma, 16 ottobre 2008 – Today in Rome an agreement was signed between the Piedmont Region and the National Research Council (CNR), the National Institute of Metrological Research (INRIM), the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), and the New Technologies, Energy and the Environment Body (ENEA) in support of Italian researchers. This aims to not only increase in the number of researchers engaged in the Research Institute of Piedmont, but to raise the overall level of quality and effectiveness of the system.
L’accordo avrà una durata triennale e prevede per questo primo anno l’attivazione di 45 assegni di ricerca biennali e 14 “visiting scientist” per una spesa a carico della Regione di circa 1 milione di euro. The agreement will last three years and provide for this first year, the activation of 45 research grants and 14 two-year visiting scientists covered by the region for about 1 million euros. The agreement identifies four lines of action on which to act: contain the so-called brain drain (brain drain), to counter the phenomenon of young researchers who move abroad;
to encourage the return from abroad of Italian researchers working at universities and research centers in Europe or outside Europe, attracting foreign researchers interested in performing in the laboratories of universities Piedmont; finally to attract visiting scientists, Italians or foreigners who work steadily at a university or foreign research institutes dealing with activities consistent with those of the laboratory host in Piedmont.
In order to contain the brain drain (first line of action), is envisaged a co-funding by the region of 50% of costs addressed by the research institutes to carry out a series of biannual grants, possibly renewable for one time (4 years). The maximum amount the grant is 22 thousand euro.
For the return of Italian researchers from abroad (second line of action), is envisaged a co-financing of the Region to the total costs addressed by research institutes to carry out a series of biannual grants, amounting to 30 thousand (8 thousand euro more than the previous grants, out of the region, for the cost of transfer and return from abroad and accommodation in Piedmont).
For foreign researchers who intend to relocate and work in Piedmont (third line), the annual amount the grant will be 35 thousand euros (13 thousand euros more, out of the region, for a partial coverage of costs by transferring ’ Foreign and accommodation).
Finally, for the fourth line of action, the attraction of visiting professors, is envisaged a co-financing by the region to activate contracts, lasting six months, with Italian and foreign teachers who are firmly committed to a foreign university or research center. The six-month contract is 37 thousand euro.
The agreement, which covers about 60 Fellows and brings in 1 million annually for the next four years, is part of the broader project of “human capital” that sees the Piedmont Region heavily engaged in 4 agreement Acts, 13 entities involved (4 Piedmont universities, scientific institutes 4 nationally, 4 music conservatories, 1 Art Academy,
more than 1000 scientists and 25 millions euro total fundings that will activat an amount of investments as 40 millions euro in the next three years.
Source:
Ufficio Stampa Giunta Regionale
Assessorato Università, Ricerca, Innovazione e Internazionalizzazione della Regione Piemonte
Sara Buosi
0114324318 – 3357995028 – sara.buosi@regione.piemonte.it