Department Mission, vision and strategy

Mission, vision and strategy

MISSION

The Department of Information Engineering (DINFO) brings together all the scientific and disciplinary sectors of Information Engineering, along with Operations Research and the fields of Electrical Engineering, creating an ecosystem of cross-cutting expertise capable of fostering and supporting, also from a multidisciplinary perspective scientific, research, innovative education, outreach, and technology transfer. In this context, the Department promotes the dissemination of knowledge and tools that, through digital technologies, contribute to societal progress in line with the goals of sustainable development.

 

The Department’s activities span numerous cutting-edge fields, organized into seven strongly interconnected thematic areas: electronics and electromagnetism; electrical engineering, measurement, reliability and safety; telecommunications engineering; automation, control and optimization; computer engineering and networks; artificial intelligence and computer vision; bioengineering. The interdisciplinary nature of the research encourages the integration of skills and methodologies, with applications impacting key areas of sustainable development, including digital transformation, smart cities and smart homes, Industry 4.0, the electrical transition, cultural heritage enhancement, social web, health and well-being, and bioinformatics.

 

DINFO operates through a broad network of teaching and research laboratories, joint university-industry laboratories, research centers and inter-university consortia, including CNIT, MECSA and the MICC Center of Excellence, maintaining close links with the local, national and international socio-economic environment. The Department systematically promotes technology transfer through applied research projects, agreements with companies, third-party activities and the creation of spin-offs, thereby contributing to innovation and regional development.

 

The Department offers advanced education programmes, continuously updated through close integration with research activities. These include Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes in all areas of information engineering (Bachelor’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Electronic Engineering and Computer Engineering; Master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Electronic Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Automation, and Electrical Engineering), as well as local, regional and national PhD programmes. Teaching activities are supported by the Department’s laboratory network and are open to collaboration with companies and research institutions.

 

The Department’s educational, scientific and social mission is consistent with that of the University of Florence and is oriented towards the creation of public value, equitable and inclusive access to knowledge, sustainable development, and responsible innovation.

 

VISION

Technological innovation originates from research and becomes a shared asset of society when it is translated into services and applications capable of improving quality of life, human well-being, and the sustainability of economic and social systems. In this context, advanced digital technologies, such as those related to electrical and electronic systems, telecommunications, automation, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data processing, play a central role in enabling meaningful and sustainable transformations.

 

Building on its strong research capacity and multidisciplinary expertise, the Department of Information Engineering aims, in the coming years, to consolidate its role as a reference centre in the fields of information engineering, strengthening the scientific, educational and social impact of its activities.

 

In particular, DINFO is committed to:

• Further strengthening its network of laboratories, with the goal of developing increasingly innovative research and teaching facilities that are open to strategic collaborations with companies, public bodies, and national and international research institutions, while at the same time reinforcing engagement with the local territory to address complex technological and societal challenges and contribute to local and national development.
• Enhancing the attractiveness of its educational offer through innovative programmes, double-degree pathways, strategic collaborations with research institutions and universities in Italy and abroad, and active participation in international research and advanced education networks.
• Becoming a reference point for digital and energy transition, digital health, artificial intelligence, highly complex technological systems, and environmental sustainability, by developing applied research and technology transfer projects aligned with the major priorities of the sustainable development agenda.
• Promoting interdisciplinarity and the integration of expertise, fostering systematic collaboration among internal research areas and with other scientific, humanistic and social disciplines, in order to broaden the cultural and scientific impact of the Department’s activities.

 

STRATEGIES

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Through its research activities, including those carried out by research centres within the Department, its educational programmes, and its third mission activities (such as joint laboratories), as well as through participation in interdepartmental and interuniversity centres and research units, DINFO contributes indirectly, yet in a fundamental way, to almost all of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the 2030 Agenda, particular attention is given to:

• SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

Sustainable Development Goals	Education	Research and Third Mission
1. No Poverty	O	O
2. Zero Hunger	O	O
3. Good Health and Well-being	X	X
4. Quality Education	X	X
5. Gender Equality	X	X
6. Clean Water and Sanitation	O	X
7. Affordable and Clean Energy	X	X
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth	X	X
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure	X	X
10. Reduced Inequalities	O	X
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities	X	X
12. Responsible Consumption and Production	O	X
13. Climate Action	X	X
14. Life Below Water	O	X
15. Life on Land	O	O
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	O	X
17. Partnerships for the Goals	O	O

https://www.agenziacoesione.gov.it/comunicazione/agenda-2030-per-lo-sviluppo-sostenibile/?lang=en