The Italian Academic Center (IAC) which was inaugurated in New York, is a new facility on the campus of Cornell Tech that will host innovative projects and research and education initiatives promoted by Sapienza University, the University of Bologna and the “Federico II” University of Naples. The Italian Academic Centre was officially opened by Rectors Eugenio Gaudio and Francesco Ubertini, at the presence of Greg Morrisett, Dean of Cornell Tech.

The Tata Innovation Centre, which will host the IAC and was designed and built sustainably, is part of the so-called “Vertical Silicon Valley” on Roosevelt Island developed in collaboration between Cornell University (New York, United States) and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology (Haifa, Israel).

The IAC will focus on the development of innovative start-ups and entrepreneurial initiatives related to academic activities, as well as foster new educational activities. The rich American academic ecosystem and participating industrial systems will allow the three Italian universities to develop new forms of collaboration, stimulate the development of multidisciplinary projects and promote public and private partnerships, even in collaboration with local communities, with a particular focus on innovation and sustainability.

The impulse for this new adventure was provided by H2CU – Honers Center for Italian Universities, an association that promotes academic collaboration between Italy and the United States by organizing summer schools in New York with universities from the two countries. 

The inauguration of the Italian Academic Center will provide unrivalled opportunities for Italian universities to promote ideas and technological projects addressing the future.