The term “Third Mission” refers to a set of activities related to the scientific, technological, and cultural transfer through which universities engage in interaction and collaboration with civil society and the business sector. The goal is to ensure that scientific knowledge becomes instrumental in achieving direct and indirect benefits in economic, social, environmental, and cultural contexts.
According to the definition provided by ANVUR, the Third Mission is an institutional responsibility of universities, alongside their two main functions: education (First Mission) and research (Second Mission). The legal basis can be found in DL 19/2012, which outlines the principles of the Self-Assessment, Periodic Evaluation, and Accreditation (AVA) system, and in the subsequent DM 47/2013, which identifies the indicators and parameters for periodic evaluation alongside those for research.
The potential of the Third Mission is directed toward two main axes:
The objective is to promote and enhance the diverse applications of educational and research outputs, fostering dialogue, exchange, and mutual development between the university and stakeholders in the broadest sense, in relation to the territory and relevant social contexts, to build a knowledge-based society.
The Department of Legal, Social, and Educational Sciences (DIKE) is active in cultural, social, and scientific dissemination (public engagement) by organizing:
DIKE also focuses on the economic valuation of knowledge by providing businesses and public institutions with the expertise of its researchers, positioning itself as a quality interlocutor for environmental protection through: