organisations and institutions of other Countries, and with supranational organisations in the frame of extra-governmental agreements. to provide, upon request from government authorities, specific skills for the participation of Italy in organisations or international scientific programs of an inter-governmental nature. to carry out, through its own program of scholarships and research fellowships, educational and training activities in Ph.D. courses, in advanced post-university specialisation courses, and in programs of continuous or recurring education; CNR can also perform activities of non university related higher education. to provide supervision over those organisations designated to issue rules and regulations (see Law of 21 June 1986, n. 317), activity of dissemination of technical specifications in the frame of its institutional tasks, and, on demand, activities of certification, test and accreditation for Public Administration. to provide technical and scientific support to Public Administration upon their request. Within the scope of fulfilling its institutional activities, CNR can provide private law services to third parties. For the execution of these activities and any other activity related to them, CNR can stipulate agreements and contracts, establish or participate in consortia, foundations or societies with private or public parties, Italian or foreign. In addition, through agreements or participation, CNR can implement programs, directives and regulations for Regional government or other Public Administration, aimed to disseminate research results into the economic system; it can also contribute to the realisation of the conditions needed for the establishment of highly innovative enterprises. Finally, CNR can participate in international research centres, in collaboration with analogous scientific institutions in other Countries. Departments and research institutes CNR is organised in seven departments and 106 research institutes: Departments Biomedical Sciences Physical sciences and technologies of matter Earth system science and environmental technologies Chemical sciences and materials Engineering, ICT, energy, and transportation technologies Agricultural and food sciences Humanities and social sciences, cultural heritage Research areas The "research areas" of CNR are regional centres aggregating institutions where some services are managed in a centralised manner. Conceived in 1979, the implementation phase began in the mid-eighties with the creation of the first four areas; Montelibretti, Milan, Genoa and Potenza. Notable members See also Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologie dell'Informazione - Institute of Information Science and Technologies (ISTI) Istituto per la Protezione delle Piante - Institute of Plant Protection Institute for Chemical-Physical Processes References External links Science and technology in Italy Members of the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics