Major Research Performing Organisations

1. Public and private universities, polytechnics, funded by the Ministero dell’ Università e della Ricerca (MUR, Ministry of Universities and Research, former MIUR - Ministry of Education, University and Research) as part of their institutional mandate: currently there are 98 universities. Research is also carried out by interuniversity consortia and scientific and technological parks.
2. Fourteen large research organizations and institutions observed by MUR: CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche/National Research Council), ENEA (Agenzia nazionale per le nuove tecnologie, l’energia e lo sviluppo economico sostenibile/Agency for the new technologies, and sustainable economic development), INFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare/National Institute for Nuclear Physics), INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica/National Institute of Astrophysics, INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geologia e Vulcanologia/National Institute of Geology and Volcanology), ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana/Italian Space Agency) are the most important ones. There are also other research institutions funded by other ministries, e.g. ISS (Istituto Nazionale della Sanità/National Health Institute ) funded by Ministry of Health or the network of the public veterinary institutes funded by the National Health System or other publicly funded institutions (laboratories, hospitals, central government research units etc.).
3. Business enterprises.
4. Associations, institutes and foundations (public or private) not for profit.

Major Funders

The main public funder in Italy is the Ministero dell’Università e Ricerca (MUR, Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, former MIUR - Ministry of Education, University and Research), but other ministries (e.g Ministry for the Economic Development, Health, Foreign Affairs, etc) other central administration agencies and regional governments also play a role in funding research in specific areas (high-tech; nanotechnologies; environmental sciences and health, space research; etc.) and fostering synergies among universities, research organizations and small-medium sized enterprises (as part of the EC Field Programs).
Public research funding can be further split into three categories:

1. national (originated by central government, e.g. ministries etc);
   
2. regional (funded by Regions mainly to promote collaboration among universities and, small-medium sized enterprises at regional level);
   
3. EC originated (Field Programs or co-financed projects with Italian institutions).
   

In 2018 the total investment in Research & Development accounted for 1,39% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), but the data is still a forecast while writing (early 2020). In 2017, 482.703 people were involved in research and development both in the public and private sectors.