Politecnico di Torino was the first Italian Engineering School, founded in the wave of the technical and scientific innovation that gave rise to the most prestigious European polytechnic schools in the mid-19th century. Founded as a School for Engineers in 1859, it then became Regio Politecnico di Torino in 1906. Engineers, architects, designers and urban planners have been trained at Politecnico di Torino for over 160 years with rigor, integrity and high-level standards.

This long ever-changing history has rated Politecnico among the top European technical Universities for education and research, with 38,700 students and a teaching staff of more than 1,000.

In an evolving global context disrupted by the effects of globalization, climate change, population aging, new and increasingly pervasive technologies, Universities are expected to progress in order to produce an impact on a rapidly changing society. Politecnico di Torino has therefore decided to transform itself into a “platform” University expected to be permeable, inclusive, open to the labour market and to industry, with a key role in innovation and lifelong learning. The goal is to become a driving force for a societal sustainable development.

The Polito4Impact Strategic Plan established as one of the strategic guidelines the creation of value chains combining education, research, innovation, financial services and the enhancement of intellectual property. The objective is to develop clusters for industrial development that can attract large companies, small and medium enterprises and start-ups in order to gather PoliTO graduates in the local territory.