The National Research Council of Italy (CNR) has signed an agreement to host an office of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) at its headquarters in Rome. The agreement was formally signed today at CNR’s central offices.

The signing ceremony was attended by CNR President Andrea Lenzi; Lidia Armelao, Director of the Department of Chemical Sciences and Materials Technologies (CNR-DSCTM); Virginia Coda Nunziante, Head of the International Relations Unit; Sarah Swee-Ling Chen, Head of the Agreements, Conventions and Partnerships Unit; Mauro Fabrini, Head of the Management Control Unit; Matteo Guidotti, researcher at CNR-SCITEC and President of the CNR IUPAC National Adhering Organization (NAO) Commission; and Maurizio Peruzzini, former Director of CNR-DSCTM. Gianluca Maria Farinola, Past President of the Italian Chemical Society, was also present. IUPAC was represented by its President Mary Garson, Past President Ehud Keinan, Secretary General Zoltan Mester, and Executive Director Fabienne Meyers.

IUPAC, the world’s leading international non-governmental organization dedicated to the advancement and standardization of the chemical sciences, also announced the opening of a second European office in Spain, hosted by the University of Málaga. The decision follows an international call launched by IUPAC that attracted numerous applications. The complementary proposals from Rome and Málaga mark a new phase in the Union’s development, as IUPAC expands its operations beyond North Carolina—where it has been headquartered since 1997 – for the first time.

CNR President Andrea Lenzi welcomed the agreement, stating: “Hosting the IUPAC Secretariat in Rome is a source of great pride and prestige for CNR. This agreement strengthens our collaboration with an organization recognized worldwide as a reference point for the chemical sciences, benefiting both Italy and Europe.”

Lidia Armelao, Director of CNR-DSCTM, highlighted the broader impact of the agreement: “The establishment of an IUPAC office in Italy will promote stronger international connections through the use of a shared scientific language and common standards. It will also help create new opportunities for young researchers and businesses, while increasing Italy’s visibility within the global scientific community.”

IUPAC President Mary Garson emphasized the strategic value of the new European presence: “Consistent with IUPAC’s mission to provide objective scientific expertise and a common language for chemistry, the creation of a dual-center European Secretariat will significantly enhance IUPAC’s ability to support the global chemistry community, now and in the future.”

The agreement is part of a broader renewal process within IUPAC, involving its leadership, staff, and global network of volunteers. This process focuses on a distributed and flexible organizational model designed to better address the evolving needs of the international scientific community.

For information
Lidia Armelao : lidia.armelao@cnr.it
Director, CNR-DSCTM