Why are Vertiv and the University of Bologna Joining Forces?

Vertiv has signed a five-year framework collaboration agreement with the University of Bologna aimed at strengthening research, skills development and innovation across critical digital infrastructure, with a clear focus on the technologies underpinning modern data centres.

The agreement brings together Vertiv’s industry expertise in power, cooling and IT infrastructure with the academic capabilities of the University of Bologna, one of Europe’s oldest and most respected universities. 

The partnership is designed to support the development of knowledge and talent required to meet growing demand for resilient, efficient and scalable data centre infrastructure across Europe and beyond.

Research and innovation for digital infrastructure

At the core of the agreement is a shared commitment to applied research and innovation that can be translated into real-world infrastructure outcomes. 

Vertiv and the University of Bologna will collaborate on research, development and innovation projects funded at regional, national and European levels, with an emphasis on technologies relevant to critical digital infrastructure.

These initiatives will be supported by technical and scientific consulting activities, scholarships, research grants and PhD programmes. The partners also plan to establish shared laboratories and research infrastructure, creating environments where academic research and industrial practice can intersect.

A further priority is the dissemination of research outcomes. Seminars, events and specialist forums will be used to share findings on emerging topics that affect data centre design and operation, including power conversion, efficiency and sustainability.

“For Vertiv, this collaboration with the University of Bologna is a strategic step that allows us to combine advanced research, technological innovation and talent development,” says Giovanni Zanei, Vice President of Large Power Conversion at Vertiv. 

“Joining forces with the University means contributing not only to regional growth but also to generating knowledge and solutions that will impact digital projects and infrastructure globally.”

Building skills for the data centre workforce

Alongside research, the partnership places a strong emphasis on education and workforce development. 

Vertiv specialists will contribute directly to teaching activities across undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes, helping align academic curricula with the operational realities of data centre infrastructure.

The firm's educational initiatives will include specialised training courses, summer and winter schools and interdisciplinary programmes focused on digital infrastructure and energy systems.

The agreement will also support upskilling and reskilling for Vertiv employees, with the potential creation of a dedicated Advanced Training School to address evolving technical requirements.

Students and recent graduates will gain access to curricular internships, recruitment events and international opportunities within Vertiv’s global organisation, creating clearer pathways from academic study into careers supporting data centre and network infrastructure.

“This agreement represents a model of virtuous collaboration between university and business, capable of generating shared value, concrete opportunities for students and researchers and new trajectories for sustainable development,” says Giovanni Molari, Rector of the University of Bologna.

Technology transfer and regional impact

The framework also addresses technology transfer, with collaboration on patents, university start-ups and spin-offs linked to digital infrastructure innovation.

Workshops, contests and open innovation initiatives will be used to encourage the commercialisation of research outputs and the creation of new solutions relevant to data centres and related facilities.

Public engagement, sustainability and social innovation form another pillar of the agreement. Projects are expected to deliver tangible benefits for the local territory and wider community, reflecting the growing role of data centres as critical infrastructure with economic and social impact.

For Vertiv, the collaboration supports its broader strategy of investing in knowledge and talent to address the technical challenges facing data centres, from power conversion and cooling to resilience and efficiency.

By anchoring this work within a long-term academic partnership, the company aims to strengthen its ability to design and support infrastructure that can scale with rising digital demand.