This spring students from the University of Bologna participated in the first three visits of the Technopoles Study Visits programme, an initiative organised by ER.GO, ART-ER, Fondazione Flaminia, Serinar and UniRimini. These visits offered university students and PhD students the possibility to discover Romagna's research laboratories at first hand as well as the opportunities of the regional innovation ecosystem.

Each visit focused on a different thematic area, allowing participants to explore in depth key sectors of scientific and technological development.

The first visit took place on 25th March in Faenza, under the theme From the coffee cup to space: ceramics in innovation. The students learned about the activities and laboratories of CertiMaC, specialised in the analysis and certification of building materials; they visited ENEA TEMAF, which works on sustainable technologies and advanced functional materials; and attended a presentation of CNR research on ceramic materials.

The second visit was held on 2nd April at the Tecnopole in Rimini, entitled Research paths in sustainability: the Rimini Technopole experience, focusing on sustainability, renewable energies, the environment, cosmetics, nutraceuticals and big data. During the day, participants had the opportunity to get to know some of the laboratories active at the headquarters.

On 14^th April, the visit moved to Forlì with the theme From airflow to outer space: innovation in flight and propulsion. Here, the focus was on aerospace technologies, artificial intelligence and ICT, with access to cutting-edge equipment dedicated to innovation in aeronautics.

With two visits still to come, the Technopoles Study Visits programme continues its tour of the most relevant research poles in Romagna, offering students a direct immersion in the present and the future of science and technology.