Organisation Profile
The Fondazione Ugo Bordoni (FUB) is a higher education and research institution, with advanced expertise in the fields of telecommunications, cloud and data, cybersecurity and new technologies.
It promotes innovation, technological progress of the country and higher scientific education, fostering the development of the national productive system.
The FUB operates as a third-party and independent entity, aiming to maximize the benefits of technological innovation through strategic consulting and – as an in-house body of the P.A. – technical-scientific support to Public Administration, Independent Authorities and other institutions.
With deep roots in the history of research and innovation, since 1952 the Fondazione has been anticipating future scenarios and driving the change required by technological evolution and global challenges.
Law no. 74/2023 and the approval of the 2024 Statute have redefined the mission and organisational model of the Fondazione, focusing on pure and applied research, strategic consulting, discussion with the scientific community and experimentation in key innovation sectors such as 6G, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
History
Established in 1952 as a foundation within the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (Presidential Decree 2472/1952), the FUB conducts scientific research in the fields of telecommunications, electronics, Information Technology and postal services.
With a combination of the impartiality of its public mission and private management, along with the provision of advanced training in telecommunications, the FUB became a leading organisation in cutting-edge research into signal processing and transmission. In 1968, from new premises in Bologna, the FUB launched new combined activities of applied research aimed at manufacturing industries and regulatory authorities.
Since 2000, the FUB has also provided TLC consultancy to public administrations and Independent authorities as a trusted third party, taking on the role of a major innovator in significant technological processes, such as the evolution of mobile networks (3G, 4G-LTE, 5G) and the transition to digital terrestrial TV.
Currently, the FUB is a not-for-profit, public-law body and its expertise and skills are based on 40 years’ experience of research, unrestrained by economic pressures.
Ugo Bordoni
Ugo Bordoni was born in Rome in 1884.
He graduated in Engineering from the University of Rome at the age of 22 and, in 1923, he was appointed Professor of Technical Physics, focusing on the study of thermotechnics, thermodynamics and acoustics.
In the early nineteen thirties, he devoted himself to the development of the telephone industry. On the establishment of the STET (Società Finanziaria Telefonica) company, he was appointed Chairman and retained this position until his death in 1952.
The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications named the new foundation (Fondazione) for scientific research in the field of telecommunications in his honour (Presidential Decree 2472/1952).
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Mission
The Fondazione Ugo Bordoni aims to support the activities of the Public Administration and Independent Authorities, offering strategic consulting and advanced expertise to promote technological progress, digital innovation, and the modernisation of the country. With solid experience in the fields of telecommunications, cybersecurity, new technologies, cloud and data, FUB positions itself as a reference point for scientific research and technological know-how at a national level.
FUB supports the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, other Public Administrations and Independent Authorities, by providing studies, analyses, predictive models and integrated interdisciplinary solutions to address scientific, technological, economic, regulatory, and normative challenges.
The main activities of the Fondazione Ugo Bordoni include:
- study, research, and innovation – consolidating its historical know-how, exploring new technological horizons and experimenting with advanced solutions for the development of the country
- strategic consulting – providing scientific, technological, economic and regulatory support to Government, Parliament and institutions
- digital transformation – focusing on advanced data management and accompanying the Public Administration towards the digitalisation of processes
- operational support to the Public Administration – offering advanced solutions and technical know-how for the management of internal requests and information technology services to businesses and citizens
The Fondazione Ugo Bordoni represents a meeting point between institutions, the scientific community and the industrial system, anticipating the future and transforming technological innovation into concrete and cutting-edge solutions capable of generating value for administrations, businesses, and citizens.
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Governance
According to its Statute, the Fondazione Ugo Bordoni has a governance structure consisting of six bodies:
- Board of Directors
- Government Authorities Committee
- Board of Auditors
- Scientific Committee
- President
- General Director
The Board of Directors is made up of three members: two appointed by the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, one of whom is appointed in agreement with the Communication Authority (AGCOM); one appointed by the Prime Minister, representing other public administrations, after consulting the Public Administrations Committee.
The Government Authorities Committee is composed of representatives from central and local public administrations that utilise the Fondazione’s competences through in-house providing.
The Board of Auditors consists of three full members and three alternate members, who are enrolled in the Register of Statutory Auditors, appointed by the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, the Government Authorities Committee, and the Prime Minister.
The Scientific Committee is an advisory body of the Fondazione, consisting of up to 15 high-profile members from industry, academia, science, and digital technology. They are appointed by the Board of Directors upon the proposal of the General Director.
The President of the Fondazione is appointed by the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy from among the members of the Board of Directors.
The General Director is appointed by the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy.
The Fondazione operates in the strategic areas defined by four Areas of expertise:
Board of Directors
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President
General Director
Board of Auditors
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President
Prof. Federico Testa
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Auditors
Rag. Andrea Galli
Dott. Marco Luigi Valente
Government Authorities Committee
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Coordinator
Dott. Rodolfo Sordoni
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Member
Ing. Andrea Billet
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Member
Cons. Sabrina Bono
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Member
Ing. Giorgio Maria Tosi Beleffi
Scientific Directorate
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Director
Administrative Directorate
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Director
General Affairs and Compliance Directorate
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Director
Organization, Planning and Project Development Directorate
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Director
Telecommunications
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Head of Area
Cybersecurity
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Head of Area
Emerging Technologies
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Head of Area
Digital Transformation, Public Administration, and IT Services
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Head of Unit
Operational Support for Public Administration
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Head of Unit
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Organizational chart being updated
Strategic Plan
The Fondazione Ugo Bordoni develops its strategies with a medium-term time horizon, presenting them in the programmatic document known as the ‘Three-Year Strategic Plan’. This structured plan presents the development, research and innovation choices adopted by the organisation in pursuing the mission defined by its Statute.
The document outlines the path along which the Fondazione directs its advanced research activities and the consolidation of its technical and scientific expertise. In addition to defining internal operational priorities, the three-year plan also aims to stimulate scientific debate on the issues addressed, creating opportunities to attract collaborations in scientific, institutional, and business contexts.
The strategies set out in the FUB’s Three-Year Strategic Plan are complemented by the “Organic Programme of Study, Research and Collaboration Activities with Public Administrations and Independent Authorities”, which defines the annual activities of the Fondazione in a more operational manner and describes the conventions and contracts within which the individual activities are structured.
