With the evolution of the national rules for financing of "Relevant Researches of National Interest" (in Italian: Progetti di Ricerca di Interesse Nazionale), the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) has launched a new funding allocation mechanism, based on specific key points: co-financing, group research work and the principle of peer review . The goal is the strengthening of national scientific bases, also in view of a more effective participation in European initiatives. PRIN aims at:
Funding research projects proposed freely by the universities;
Promoting and developing actions favouring the interactions between the different actors of the national public research system and between them and other public and private research organizations, national or international.
Annually, with a special Ministerial Decree, MIUR issues the call for funding, over three years, for the PRIN projects. The fundable research proposals are free and independent and have no obligation to references to predefined themes. Therefore PRIN might be also relevant for funding research on MSP or related themes.
Italian universities, both public and private and all public entities supervised by the Italian Ministry of Education and Research.
New calls are expected for 2018. Project length is typically 3 years.
• Maximum eligible amount for each project € 1,000,000
• Contribution: 100% of eligible expenditures
More information regarding this fund can be found at http://prin.miur.it