THIRD MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY
The Third Mission serves as a bridge between the realm of academic research and society at large. Given the significant clinical component of the Scientific-Disciplinary Sectors (SSD) affiliated with the DSCS, establishing and maintaining relationships with both public and private healthcare facilities is of paramount importance.
These collaborative networks with healthcare institutions form the foundation of another crucial aspect of Third Mission activities: the design and execution of various phases of clinical trials. This also represents a significant portion of the third-party (contract) activities carried out by the DSCS, which additionally encompass research, development, and training initiatives in non-clinical fields.
Furthermore, the DSCS is strongly committed to Public Engagement initiatives, with a particular focus on outreach and orientation programs for secondary schools, involvement in drafting projects of public interest, popular science publications, participation in radio and television broadcasts, and partnerships with institutions and associations dedicated to healthcare advocacy and protection.
In addition, the Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences hosts the UNESCO Chair in “Training and empowering human resources for health development in resource-limited countries” whose institutional mandate is to contribute to the training of healthcare professionals in developing nations. To fulfill this mandate, the UNESCO Chair carries out extensive educational activities aimed at civil society in Italy, while fostering scientific and academic collaborations with universities in developing countries. Notable partners include the Pedagogical University of Maputo (Mozambique), the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi (Ghana), the Catholic University of Addis Abeba (Ethiopia), the Catholic University of Iringa (Tanzania), and the University of Takeo (Cambodia). In the field of global health, the Chair of Infectious Diseases maintains formal cooperation agreements with Civil Society Volunteering Organizations (including Medicus Mundi Italia, Fondazione Tovini, and Fondazione Museke), supporting them in raising local community awareness on international cooperation issues.
The Board of the Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, acting within the scope of its duties and under delegation from the Departmental Council, has allocated funding for events and initiatives aimed at supporting and promoting Public Engagement activities. This funding is drawn from the Performance Bonus awarded to the Department for its achievements in implementing the University Strategic Plan.