Over the last year, Eni has continued and launched a number of projects in cooperation with universities and research centres, both in Italy and abroad, reconfirming its commitment to the implementation of an effective international knowledge network in the energy sector. From the map it emerged that in 2009 the company invested around €30 million in cooperation activities that involved 138 universities and 3 research centres, and concerned some 389 separate initiatives (a third of which outside of Italy). In May 2009, Eni signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of L’Aquila for the hosting of students and researchers at the university, an agreement that included agreements fro the construction of a Research centre in the city. Also in Italy, in addition to the maintenance of the 2nd level Masters’ degree courses (relative to the oil 6 gas sector) at the Turin Polytechnic, the University of Bologna and the Catholic University in Milan, advanced degree courses, with special reference to the oil and gas sectors, have been launched  at the polytechnics in Turin and Milan, as well as a "Geology Project" introduced at the universities of Perugia, Rome La Sapienza, Ferrara, Padua and Trieste, which has seen the creation of new degree  courses in exploration geology and the geology of hydrocarbons. Some of these projects have also made it possible for some students to spend periods of study at prestigious foreign universities, such as those in Austin, Texas and Trondheim, in Norway. The international nature of the company, which is confirmed by the existence of scientific collaborations in more than 20 countries, is also underscored by other initiatives, such as foreign study periods for students from the LUISS University in Rome, seminars in the economics of energy at the University of Moscow and at the French Petroleum Institute and the Double Degree Project organised by the Bocconi and Mgimo universities.

From June 2009 a doctorate course has also been available, run in cooperation with the Centre for Corporate Reputation at the Said Oxford Business School, related to Eni’s involvement in the history of sustainability in West Africa, and based on the recovery of documentary, oral and audiovisual historical sources. Also of particular significance is Eni’s commitment in the area of scientific research, which can be seen from a range of cooperation agreements (amounting to 57% of the total of such initiatives) with important institutes, aimed mainly at supporting research and expanding knowledge assets, especially in the field of energy. In this context, the company has provided contributions to the Bocconi University, in particular for the Institute of Economic Policy for Energy and the Environment and the centre for research in corporate administration, finance and regulatory affairs. Further financial support has been given to the creation of research fellowships, both at Italian universities (energy engineering and economics at the University of Catania) and  abroad (for Bio Fuels, at the University of California at San Diego, in the USA).

Cooperation with Universities and Research Centres