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Research excellence, high-quality teaching, and a natural inclination for technology transfer are the pillars upon which the Department of Information Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Applied Mathematics (DIEM), led by prof. Francesco Tortorella, is founded. A vibrant and stimulating environment dedicated to creativity and innovation has enabled DIEM to stand out nationally in the most recent research evaluations.

The Department primarily brings together faculty and researchers from the CUN Areas 09 (Industrial and Information Engineering) and 01 (Mathematical and Computer Sciences), representing a center of interdisciplinary expertise.

The quality of its scientific output is confirmed by ANVUR’s evaluation for the 2015–2019 period, in which DIEM achieved the highest score, with an ISPD indicator of 100/100, replicating the result obtained in the previous evaluation campaign. Nationally, only one other department in the field of Information Engineering has received the same recognition in both evaluations.

Further testament to DIEM’s excellence is the funding obtained from the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) within the Departments of Excellence Program for the 2023–2027 period. This prestigious recognition supports the Information Technologies for Digital Medicine (IT4DiMe) project, solidifying the Department’s role as a reference point in innovative research.

Teaching

DIEM offers a wide range of educational opportunities, spanning bachelor’s degrees to Ph.D. programs, with a strong focus on innovation and multidisciplinarity.

The Department manages the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering and the Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering, both accredited since 2013 under the EUR-ACE (European Accredited Engineer) system, coordinated by the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE). In recent years, the offering has been enriched with the introduction of the Bachelor’s Degree in Information Engineering for Digital Medicine (L-8), active since the 2022/23 academic year, and the Master’s Degree in Information Engineering for Digital Medicine (LM-32), active since 2018/19. Additionally, from the 2023/24 academic year, the Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering for Digital Energy (LM-28) has been available.

The DIEM’s educational offering is complemented by advanced third-level training. The Department has established a Ph.D. in Information Engineering, accredited by ANVUR, meeting the requirements of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), and receiving a positive evaluation. Furthermore, DIEM is the lead entity of the National Ph.D. in Photovoltaics, carried out in collaboration with 23 Italian universities.

The Department also actively participates in other nationally significant doctoral programs, including the Ph.D. in Autonomous Systems, the Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence – Health and Life Sciences, and the National Ph.D. in Learning Sciences and Digital Technologies.

Research

DIEM excels in research characterized by both vertical approaches, specific to individual scientific fields, and transversal approaches, addressing highly relevant multidisciplinary topics.

The Department is engaged in a wide range of research areas, including Artificial Vision, Machine Learning, Medical Image Analysis, Cognitive Robotics, Autonomous Driving, Artificial Intelligence for Decision Support Systems, Semantic Technologies, Multi-Agent Systems, Network Science, Cybersecurity, Identification and Cryptography, Natural Language Processing, Situation and Context Awareness Systems, Distributed Statistical Inference, Signal Processing, Complex Systems Reliability, Modeling and Control of Hybrid and Discrete Event Systems, Cooperative Robotics, Decentralized Control, Electromagnetic Modeling using Nanotechnologies, High-Speed Electronic Circuits, Energy Source Monitoring and Control, Optimal Control Methodologies, and Numerical Techniques for the Simulation of Complex Systems.

Among DIEM faculty, there are two Fellows of renowned international scientific societies (IEEE, IAPR). Many have received international awards and Best Paper Awards at prestigious journals and conferences. A DIEM faculty member serves as a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). DIEM also hosts the coordinator of the national Ph.D. program in “Photovoltaics” and includes scientists who hold or have held leadership roles in international associations and appear in global and national top scientist lists.

A significant portion of DIEM’s research is funded through competitive European, national, and regional grants. The Department has participated in around 20 projects funded by the European Commission (including AIROBOTS, DCODE, DESIGN, ECHORD, ENABLE-S3, EUROC, FELICE, GENIUS, GRAPHENE 3D, GRAPHENE Flagship, HEALTH CODE, INSIGHT, LABOR, LOCOMACHS, OPTEMUS, REACTT, RUBY, SMARTGYsum), either directly as a partner or through its members. An equivalent number of projects have been carried out with national funds, five of which with DIEM as the Principal Investigator. DIEM’s contribution is also significant at the regional level. Over the past ten years, the Department has secured approximately €4 million from European projects and around €22.5 million from national and regional initiatives.

DIEM is also deeply involved in PNRR research programs. Specifically, it participates in:

• The National Center for Sustainable Mobility (MOST): Spoke 6 (Connected and Autonomous Vehicles) and Spoke 7 (Cooperative, Connected, and Automated Mobility and Intelligent Infrastructures).
• The Security and Rights in the CyberSpace Foundation (SERICS): Spoke 4 (Operating Systems and Virtualization Security) and Spoke 9 (Security in Digital Transformation).
• The Future Artificial Intelligence Research Foundation (FAIR): Spoke 3 (Resilient AI).

Thanks to its excellent research activity, DIEM not only contributes to scientific progress but also plays a central role in technological development and innovation at the national and international levels.

Third Mission

DIEM’s third mission activities primarily focus on technology transfer, including the creation of spin-offs, patenting, and scientific consulting through third-party contracts.

In recent years, DIEM has supported the establishment of several spin-off companies, some of which have become key players internationally. Among them, AI4Health, a spin-off developed in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Dentistry at the University of Salerno, deserves special mention. AI4Health specializes in designing, developing, and commercializing hardware and software systems for medical diagnostics, health, and digital health, representing a virtuous example of synergy between academic expertise and industrial applications.

DIEM researchers are co-owners of nearly thirty active or pending patents, including 18 U.S. patents, 5 European, 3 international, and 2 Italian ones. In terms of collaborations with businesses, DIEM has signed numerous research agreements with companies nationwide. These activities have generated contracts worth approximately €3.5 million over the last decade, reaffirming the Department’s role as a strategic partner for industrial innovation.

DIEM also promotes socially impactful initiatives. Among the numerous activities carried out, the Department’s involvement in founding the Salerno hub of the national network of the Accademia dei Lincei with the project “I Lincei for New Didactics in Schools” stands out. Through this initiative, DIEM actively contributes to improving school teaching, demonstrating a strong commitment to knowledge dissemination and cultural promotion in the region.

Through these initiatives, DIEM consolidates its role not only as an academic center of excellence but also as a driving force for technological and social innovation.

logica e sociale.