The host university, Politecnico di Milano, is one of the most prestigious technical education institutions in the country and the top technical university in Italy, especially prominent in Telecommunications Engineering and Computer Science. Students who graduate here are regarded as the most qualified in the country and are highly appreciated by the industry, both locally, as well as nation- and world-wide. Founded in 1863, Politecnico di Milano is the largest school of architecture, design and engineering in Italy, with three main campuses located in Milan and five more branches around the Lombardy region. Many important scientists and architects studied and taught here, among them Achille Castiglioni, Gio Ponti, Gae Aulenti, Renzo Piano and Aldo Rossi, both Pritzker Prize in 1990 and 1998 respectively, and Giulio Natta, Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963.
According to the 2017-2018 QS World University Ranking, Politecnico di Milano is the first Italian university in 9 research areas: Architecture & Built Environment, Art & Design, Computer Science & Information Systems, Civil & Structural Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering. Environmental Sciences, Materials Science, Mathematics.