Italy's worldwide scientific community will return to Rome on June 18 for the 20th Conference of Italian Researchers Around the World, an event that has become one of the country's most important forums for connecting researchers, institutions, and policymakers across international borders.
Hosted at the Multifunctional Hall of the Italian Prime Minister's Office in Rome, the conference marks a significant milestone for an initiative that has spent two decades highlighting the achievements of Italian scientists working in universities, laboratories, research centers, and innovative companies around the globe.
Italian researchers have long played a major role in global science. According to international studies, more than 30,000 Italian-born researchers are currently active abroad, contributing to advances in fields ranging from medicine and biotechnology to artificial intelligence, engineering, physics, and environmental sciences. Their work has helped strengthen Italy's reputation as a country capable of producing world-class talent, even as many researchers have built successful careers outside national borders.
The conference arrives at a time when scientific cooperation is becoming increasingly important. Challenges such as climate change, energy transition, public health, digital transformation, and geopolitical instability require international networks capable of sharing knowledge and accelerating innovation. Italian researchers working abroad are uniquely positioned to serve as bridges between institutions, industries, and research ecosystems in different countries.
One of the event's central themes is expected to be the relationship between talent mobility and national competitiveness. While Italy continues to face concerns about the emigration of highly educated professionals, many experts increasingly view international mobility as an opportunity rather than a loss. Researchers who gain experience abroad often create partnerships, attract investment, facilitate technology transfer, and open new channels of collaboration with Italian universities and companies.
The event underscores the growing importance of science diplomacy. Research has become a powerful tool for building international relationships, fostering cooperation even in periods of political uncertainty. Italian scientists abroad frequently serve as informal ambassadors, strengthening connections between Italy and some of the world's leading research institutions.
The conference will also feature a strong focus on talent retention and international scientific mobility. Vincenzo Arcobelli, founder and chairman of the Conference of Italian Researchers Around the World, has repeatedly emphasized the strategic importance of strengthening connections between Italy and its global scientific diaspora.
According to Arcobelli, more coordinated policies are needed to support researchers, encourage merit-based career development, strengthen partnerships between universities and industry, and make Italy a more attractive destination for scientific talent. He has also pointed to the economic impact of the country's long-standing brain drain, noting that more than 120,000 Italian researchers have built careers abroad in recent years, including approximately 15,000 in the United States, underscoring the importance of investing in research, innovation, and the next generation of scientists.
