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The Milanese universities of Bocconi, Università Statale di Milano, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca and Politecnico di Milano have joined forces to establish a campus of excellence for research and training in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in Milan. The four universities have become one of the units of ELLIS, the European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems.

Established in 2018, ELLIS is the association that brings together Europe's best artificial intelligence scientists and academics with the objective of promoting continent-wide scientific development on this crucial topic, unsurprisingly also considered fundamental by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for Italian recovery.

Along with Mayor Giuseppe Sala, the initiative was presented by the Rector of Bocconi University, Gianmario Verona, the Executive Vice Rector of the State University, Maria Pia Abbracchio, the Rector of Bicocca University, Giovanna Iannantuoni, and the Rector of the Politecnico, Ferruccio Resta.

The new ELLIS unit will have the task of establishing Milan as one of Europe's leading scientific centres for AI and machine learning. This research focuses on four areas: interactive machine learning, which examines how an algorithm interacts with the environment; neural networks and deep learning; health and computational biology, which applies AI to medicine; and the use of AI for the analysis and processing of natural language. The Rector of the Politecnico, Ferruccio Resta, remarked:

“The central role of artificial intelligence and machine learning issues, their uses and consequences on the economic and social fronts give technical and scientific universities a great responsibility. Technological development is anything but neutral: it is a complex process, as the four lines of research we have decided to outline illustrate: interaction with the environment; neural networks and deep learning; medicine; language. Consequently, it must be anticipated, managed and shared. Combining the best academic resources and developing Milan into a campus of excellence is our duty towards the development and growth, not only of our city, but also of the country and the university system, which is called upon more and more to operate according to a concept of interaction and exchange. The Politecnico di Milano is taking part in this initiative as part of a mutually beneficial partnership with other universities. A winning model to aspire to in a European context”.

The Unit will be led by four proponents and scientific coordinators, one from each university, who will manage the Unit in rotation: Nicolò Cesa-Bianchi (Full Professor of Computer Science, Università Statale di Milano, who will lead the group as Director for the first year), Nicola Gatti (Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Politecnico di Milano), Gabriella Pasi (Full Professor of Computer Science, Università di Milano-Bicocca Università degli studi di Milano Bicocca) and Riccardo Zecchina (Full Professor of Theoretical Physics, Università Bocconi).

From the 22 October 2021, the Alfa Romeo Museum dedicates an exhibition to the Dynamis PRC team, the "racing department" of Politecnico di Milano (find here all the information) .

La mostra esplora e racconta questa realtà sportiva che, in meno di un ventennio, si è sviluppata ed è cresciuta fino a raggiungere risultati molto importanti a livello internazionale. 

The team, initially made up of 12 students has reached 100 members today , was created in 2004 and in 17 years of activity has played 31 races in 7 different countries.

A DREAM CALLED FORMULA STUDENT

Every year Dynamis PRC designs and manufactures a formula-style racing prototype, including open wheels, carbon fiber monocoque and a huge aerodynamic study, with the aim of participating in the Formula Student championship, held on various national and international circuits. 

During each race the teams compete for a week, during which various static (economic and design choices) and dynamic (where the performance of the prototype is tested) events take place. 

In the early years there were many challenges that the Dynamis PRC teams had to face, but with perseverance and commitment they managed to improve more and more. Until the 2019 season, the team participated in the competition with combustion prototypes, while from 2020 it brought the first fully electric prototype to the race, experiencing an exciting and satisfying season. 

Credits home/header: Dynamis PRC

The best students of Politecnico have an extra opportunity to build their future thanks to a unique path in Italy. The oportunity is the Circle of Donors: from 2016 until now, 30 Alumni have donated a total of 343,500 euros to finance prestigious scholarships, able to compete with those offered by the best international universities , which attract the most promising young people.

Scholarships dedicated to young talents, chosen for academic merits, who receive € 10,000 a year for the two years of the master's degree and, above all, can access a network of contacts experts: a team of Alumni in top positions, donors, who in addition to financial support make time, advice and mentoring available to young people in view of the important choices and opportunities that follow graduation from the Politecnico.

WHAT DO OUR STUDENTS DREAM OF?

Contributing to a more sustainable world, breathing an international atmosphere, feeling part of a community of people who make a difference: this is what the girls and boys of the Circle have told us over the years. They are chosen every year among the best undergraduates of the bachelor who decide to stay at the Politecnico also at the master's level.

A club of 110 cum laude , serious and focused on the goal: in addition to the academic average, to access the Circle you must respect a very strict schedule and graduate with full marks in the first session .

Alessandro Atanassov, 22, studies Computer Science & Engineering and "when he grows up" wants to be a computer engineer. Among his interests, to work on the software of spacecraft . “At Politecnico I started by learning to write very simple C programs that printed me Hello world , and within three years I came to recreate a board game, turning it into an online video game. Now in the master's I will work on even more complex and advanced projects. I have chosen a path that will give me access to a large number of job opportunities: you can find information technology everywhere".

Paolo Battellani is also 22 years old and has just started his master's degree in Computer Science and Engineering. After graduation, he tells us, the idea is to stay in the IT sector: "being a fairly large sector, I still don't have clear ideas. I would like to provide support for environmental issues ”.

ADVICE FROM ALUMNI

“I think the time has come to reflect and prepare to make important choices in your life, where having someone as a guide and motivator can prove to be fundamental”, comments Alessandro. "The Circle of Donors project is a unique opportunity to receive financial support and advice from those who have achieved brilliant career successes " according to Paolo Morreale, 2020, who is studying Building and Architectural Engineering.

Among the 18 fellows adopted by the Circle since 2016, the first two were Giulia Realmonte, Alumna in Energy Engineering, and Alessio Durante, Alumnus in Electrical Engineering. Both completed their studies in 2018.

"It is very nice to feel part of this community of Alumni and to receive advice from those who have accumulated experience through the choices and mistakes made in the past", commented Giulia on the eve of graduation, and Alessio: "The Circle is a unique opportunity in Italy. No other university values its best students in this way ".