The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation supports and encourages missions abroad and in Italy by Italian and foreign researchers, lecturers, experts, personalities and cultural operators respectively.

The main objective of the funding is to foster the development of strategic partnerships, cultural and scientific projects between foreign and Italian institutions in the medium and long term.

Who it is aimed at

The following may apply for a grant to carry out missions:

Foreign researchers, lecturers, experts, personalities and cultural operators invited to spend a period of time at Italian university or cultural institutions for study or research purposes.
The financial contribution to partially cover living expenses is paid on a lump-sum basis.
Italian researchers, lecturers, experts, personalities and cultural operators invited to spend a period of time at foreign universities or cultural institutions for study or research purposes.
The financial contribution is only granted to cover part (80%) of the travel expenses.

How to apply for the contribution

Interested parties may submit applications for a grant, drawn up in accordance with the attached form and complete with the required documentation, to the Italian Institute of Culture or, in the absence of the latter, to the Italian diplomatic-consular Representation with territorial jurisdiction in the country where the mission is to be carried out.

Grants will be awarded following an assessment carried out by the foreign offices and the competent central offices, based on the following criteria

characteristics of the applicant, including the curriculum
possible medium and long-term spin-offs of the mission in terms of development of cultural or scientific projects and partnerships between Italian and foreign institutions;
prestige of the cultural institutions involved;
principle of rotation among grant recipients;
conformity of the mission to the geographical and thematic priorities identified by the Directorate General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy;
existence of an executive cultural cooperation programme in force between Italy and the applicant’s country of residence (in the case of a foreign beneficiary) or with the applicant’s country of destination (in the case of an Italian beneficiary).

Information and deadlines

Grant application forms are available in the annex.

For further information and to find out the deadlines for submitting applications, it is advisable to contact the Italian Institute of Culture or, in the absence of the latter, the Italian diplomatic-consular Representation, competent for the territory in the country in which the mission is being carried out (in the case of Italian beneficiaries) or in the country of residence of the applicant (in the case of foreign beneficiaries).

The payment of the contribution will take place once the mission is completed, after delivery of the necessary documentation.