Advance technology by strengthening the background. Build know-how in research and product development. Provide best practices in managing technology, processes and services. Focus on functionality without forgetting the design. Reach quality while keeping costs under control. Understand today's needs to anticipate a sustainable future.

Graduates from the Politecnico di Torino make the difference in thinking technology and systems for people, markets and society.

The Politecnico di Torino is the oldest technical university in Italy (founded in 1859) and it is considered one of the most prestigious technological institutions in Europe (rated one of the top 10 European tech universities by the world-recognized Jao Tong University ranking). The Politecnico is a medium-sized research and education institution with strong links to industry. By means of its start-ups incubator, technology transfer centers and corporate partnerships, it is a main driver of local economic development and a source for international cooperation.

Excellence in education and international programs
The Politecnico di Torino (www.polito.it) has 26,000 students attending more than 124 undergraduate and graduate educational programs (37 bachelor of science, 36 master of science, 23 PhD, 27 post-graduate executive programs). The Politecnico provides technological education in the fields of engineering and architecture, in Italian and English.

The Schools of Architecture and Engineering include programs in: physics, chemistry and mathematics for engineering; computer science and information & communication technologies; industrial engineering; production system engineering and management; industrial design; architecture and civil engineering; environmental engineering and territorial planning.

The Politecnico promotes numerous activities of international cooperation and has launched an International Students website, available in multiple languages (international.polito.it). It has signed 300 general agreements for student exchange and more than 60 joint degree agreements with both European and non-European universities.

The university has also activated several joint educational programs, such as an Italian-Chinese University campus (in collaboration with Tongji University and the Politecnico di Milano), and an Italian campus in Karachi sponsored by the Pakistani national government.

The Politecnico has also made available numerous scholarship projects sustained by various bodies, such as the China “Zhong Guo” project.

Campuses
The School of Architecture is headquartered in an ancient castle along the river Po. Valentino Castle is one of the most important monuments in Piemonte, transformed as a grant to the Application School for Engineers in 1859. There, several laboratories were born, including aeronautics, chemical engineering and architecture. Today, the castle is a unique campus for the students, covering 23,000 square meters of facilities and a huge public park.

In 1958, the main facility was built in downtown Torino to host the expansion of the engineering school. In the last decade, several other campuses were built in other towns all around the Regione Piemonte.

Today, the Politecnico is expanding its main campus: 50,000 square meters of buildings have been finished and others are underway (up to 170,000 square meters). The new facilities will go under the name of "Cittadella Politecnica" (www.cittadellapolitecnica.polito.it).

Research outreach and tech-impact
The Politecnico di Torino is a research university with close links to international institutions, high-tech companies and government bodies. Advanced research fields and top-quality education include all areas of architecture and engineering sciences: industrial engineering, information technologies, building and environmental engineering, management engineering, architecture and design.
The average budget of sponsored programs is Euro 60 million per year.

The Politecnico has a very good track record of collaboration with industry and it is strongly committed to basic and applied research, as over 800 research project contracts obtained every year testify. Alenia, Compaq, Ferrari, FIAT, IBM, Michelin, Nokia, Philips, Piaggio, Pininfarina, Pirelli, Siemens, STMicroelectronica and Telecom Italia are just some of the research partners of Politecnico. Since 1998, a large-scale agreement is operating between Politecnico and Motorola, which decided to establish in Torino its world R&D center for cellphone software.

At the Politecnico, 900 faculty members and scholars work in 18 departments. Other scholars work in connected partnerships (Technology Transfer Centers) to enable industry to take advantage of research results.

The main TTC are: ISMB Mario Boella Institute; telecommunication systems (Telefonica, France Telecom, Telecom Italia, Ericsson); Torino Wireless; SiTi, Higher Institute on Innovation and Territorial Systems. The Politecnico and its faculties have also created a number of spin-offs to drive to market the best research applications.

This demonstrates the business-oriented attitude of the research carried out in Torino. Moreover, the largest Italian on-campus incubator has been hosting more than 83 start-ups since its creation in the year 2000, winning the "Science-Based Incubator Award" in 2004.

Business Research Center (BRC)
Currently, the “Cittadella Politecnica” project is underway: a huge building expansion of the main campus dedicated to cooperation in research and education, between the Politecnico and industries.It will serve as a BRC (www.research.business.polito.it) and host the R&D divisions of those corporations interested in taking advantage of the Politecnico's knowledge. Spaces for offices and laboratories are available for this aim.

In 2006, General Motors Power Train decided to establish its 20,000 square meters brand-new global research center for diesel engines and electronic controls. The Politecnico will provide education, research and human resources to GM, which is committed to hire 300 staff in a 3-year timeframe. The BRC also is going to host seven other international research centers, of which these corporations are the first: Asja Ambiente, Huawei Technologies, Intelligence Focus, J.A.C., Metecno, Microsoft, Vishay Semiconductor.

Those corporations, that will move capital, projects and resources to Torino, will enhance the international mission and increase job and research opportunities at the Politecnico.