In April 2003, we were one of the few to "dive in at the deep end". The Fondazione Politecnico di Milano grew out of an idea that had been floated two years previously, when a bipartisan amendment to the Finance Act was approved which allowed Universities to start up foundations that made their relationship with the outside world more effective and efficient.

The Fondazione, which was created with the contribution of a dozen major founder members, including some of the biggest national companies and local bodies in their areas, has attracted great interest from private industry, not least because of its approach to governance which involves all partners in important decisions.

Over time, around forty other companies and bodies have joined the Fondazione in a variety of roles. To gain credibility, not only in the eyes of the outside world but also in academia, the Fondazione has taken a pro-active approach while at the same time stimulating and multiplying interest. From its beginnings, the Fondazione is now a network of 270 companies, small and large, 40 public administrations, and 150 industrial associations, research centres and training organisations, all involved in almost 200 projects in the 2006-08 three-year period.

These numbers show the level of interest shown by "civil society" in a challenge based on shared initiatives and on joint effort.

The university's external projection does not so much need the latest marketing theories as it needs interpreters with a solid cultural background, who know the language of research and of industry and who are able to translate the strong suits of individual universities into distinctive features. Alongside the longstanding expertise of the lecturers and managers of a third-level institution like the Politecnico di Milano, which for over a hundred years has maintained strong relations with the city and with Lombardy, the Fondazione has deployed a group of young project managers to take advantage of two values: creativity and energy.