Open Labs
About this good practice
The "Open Labs" allows public or private entities to access highly advanced research infrastructures and equipment in the University of Turin. The innovative aspect is the systematization of the infrastructures and laboratories (accessible by external parties) located in 20 Departments and 7 Centers, through the creation of a single online platform. Thanks to this, it is possible to categorize laboratories according to the type of equipment and scope of application. This solution enabled external parties to quickly identify what is available and more easily find what they need.
This opportunity is crucial for entities that can access state-of-the-art instrumentation for their technical and socio-economic analyses. In addition, this project ensures that they can take advantage of the advice and support of university research staff, both for conducting tests and experiments and for research activities related to the analyses themselves.
University offices can support companies in precisely identifying the instrumentation needed; in making contact with the instrumentation contact person to define in detail the type of use and any related services; and in preparing a fee schedule or estimate.
The presence of the contract for commissioned activities with the university, in addition to constituting a fully deductible cost in the formation of the client company's income (subject to the inherent nature of the cost), may determine the right to access the specific tax credit.
Resources needed
For the implementation and coordination of the platform 3 employees were assigned. The total annual budget for the management and maintenance of the platform and for the organization of events can be estimated at €21,700, split between each faculty.
Evidence of success
Each research instrumentation is managed individually by the responsible Department. However at the centralized level Open Days are organized to present the full range of research instrumentation made available by the University of Turin to external parties. Several Open Days have been organized. For instance Open Day 2023 with a specific focus on sustainability, was organized with the aim of presenting advanced research instrumentation and was attended by approximately 80 participants (SMEs).
Potential for learning or transfer
This good practice can be interesting to all universities as the creation of a single platform where to find the complete list of available instrumentations facilitate external parties in locating the equipment they need.
It is easily transferable to all universities as the online platform ensures that instrumentation is systematized at a low cost. As it is digital it can be easily accessible to anyone even external parties at a distance who can identify the equipment available, request remote information and decide whether to use the equipment.
The University of Turin has been involved in an effective collaboration to promote this practice with the European UNITA Project, which aims to form an alliance between 6 universities. Its first phase involved the development of a database of research infrastructure. The ReUNITA satellite project promoted two activities to support its shared use: Sharing Infrastructures and Job Shadowing. The success caused the involvement of new universities.