Italian government provides €60.7m to recruit 2,000 researchers

Italy's minister of universities and research, Anna Maria Bernini, has signed into law a decree that will provide €60.7 million a year to recruit 2,000 researchers in universities and research organisation, it announced on 06/03/2026.

"Our goal is to put knowledge back at the centre of government action. This is a strategic choice we also support with the Three-Year Research Plan, which introduced a clear programming model, a single fund and stable resources for universities and institutions," Bernini commented.

"This additional allocation of €60.7m per year represents an investment in the future of Italian research," she added.

The minister also said that the aim was to "send a clear signal: the professionals who have entered the research system thanks to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNNR) will not be lost, but will become the foundation on which to build new knowledge, development and lasting growth".

The government said that the Ministry of Universities and Research will allocate a total of €18.5m for the hiring of researchers in 2026, increasing to €60.7m annually…