by InTrieste
Interview: FVG councilor for education and research, Alessia Rosolen
The Friuli Venezia Giulia region announced a €41.3 million investment in higher education and research for the period 2025–2027, aiming to strengthen human capital and infrastructure in universities and research institutions.
The plan, presented in Trieste by regional education and research councilor Alessia Rosolen, allocates the largest share of funding — about €26.5 million — to support doctoral programs, research grants, fixed-term research positions, and technologist roles. A total of 371 beneficiaries are expected: 153 doctoral fellowships, 148 research grants, 23 researcher contracts, 4 technologist positions, and 43 other research appointments.
“In this transition phase tied to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, these resources have allowed us to renew 371 research and doctoral grants,” Rosolen said. “It shows that the region is not just talking but investing concretely in human capital.”
The remaining €14.9 million will be directed toward infrastructure, with strategic investments in emerging sectors such as quantum technology and renewable hydrogen. Among these projects is EQUIP-FVG, a €3.8 million initiative to develop a fiber-optic network for secure quantum communications, with applications in port and logistics systems.
Additional measures include €1.3 million to extend research grants and contracts, €400,000 to support the humanities and social sciences at the Universities of Udine and Trieste, and €170,000 to fund doctoral scholarships at the region’s music conservatories.
Funding for the program will come from multiple sources: 37.4 percent from regional resources, 37.5 percent from the European Social Fund Plus (2021–2027), and 25.1 percent from other funds.
Rosolen emphasized that investing in young researchers is critical for the region’s future: “These young men and women are the most valuable resource available to our businesses and productive fabric, the starting point for building long-term strategies.”
