AIR/IRIS - the Institutional Research Repository

AIR - Institutional Research Repository 

AIR is the University repository of scientific publications. It collects articles, monographs, essays, edited books, conference speeches, working papers, since 2004, as well as all doctoral theses since 2010.

According to the university policy, the full text of research works is associated with bibliographic data, in order to enhance its significance and increase its web visibility.

AIR is also the University research registry: the data is sent daily to the MIUR, used for the evaluation of doctoral schools and research facilities, for departmental annual reports, for authors' CVs, and for internal evaluation campaigns.

IRIS - Research Information System

AIR is one of the key modules of IRIS, the Institutional Research Information System adopted by  the University of Milan in 2014 for managing research data (people, projects, publications, activities). 

Its main goal is to provide a single point of collection and validation of research data, in accordance with international standards.

The system is also a fundamental tool for analysing, monitoring, guiding and assessing the research cycle, including funding, human resources, employment opportunities, economic and social impact.

IRIS is an interoperable system, which is integrated with the University accounting and human resources management softwares,  the University Student Registrars, the University department websites, the Expertise & Skills portal, MIUR databases, WOS / SCOPUS and JCR and ORCID, that provides researchers with a persistent digital identifier.

Furthermore, the system requires teachers/researchers to enter and complete data and information: for example, in addition to the publications in the AIR, they can enter scientific activities/initiatives or general information on their research career, integrate project files, for which they are the PI, with abstracts and keywords. Lastly, they can enter their public engagement activities.

IRIS has replaced the Surplus platform (2007-2013), and inherited its functionalities and data (funded projects/contracts, research fellowship calls for applications, Annual Reports, Assessment Reports, personal profiles, areas of research expertise).

IRIS key modules

In addition to AIR, the key modules of IRIS include:

  • RM - Resource management 
    that collects relevant data and information in the context of institutional research, relating to internal and external organizations and to research staff 
  • AP – Activities and projects
    that collects relevant data and information in the context of institutional research, relating to internal and external organizations (departments, research centres) and to research staff (teachers, researchers, research fellows, doctoral students).
  • Third Mission – Public Engagement
For researchers and doctorands at the University of Milan

All information on data entering procedures are available on laStatale@work, the portal dedicated to internal communication. 

According to the regulation on the legal filing of documents, as of 1 November 2010, Italian universities must submit a copy of doctoral theses to the central national libraries of Rome and Florence.
Doctoral students are therefore required to file bibliographic data and full texts for their theses in the Institutional Research Repository (IRR).

All information are available on laStatale@work, the portal dedicated to internal communication.

Contributing to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.

The University of Milan decided to make formal its involvement in this project by providing a dashboard showing contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals, publications from 2020.