Regulations of the Firenze University Press

(Decree No. 739, Year 2025, Prot. No. 140057)

Article 1 – Purpose

1. The Firenze University Press (FUP), the Publishing House and Editorial Services Centre of the University of Florence, established as a Service Centre pursuant to Article 36 of the Articles of Association and hereinafter referred to as the ‘Centre’, is responsible for providing services to the University’s scientific and educational departments. Such services include the publication of scientific journals and monographs in Italian and/or foreign languages under the guidance of international scientific committees, as well as specific communication services aimed at promoting and disseminating, both nationally and internationally, research, didactic innovation, internal communication, relations with the territory and the image of the University. The FUP promotes publishing activities dedicated to ‘open access’ and ‘open science’ (knowledge as a common good), peer reviews as a guarantee of quality, the public role of knowledge, environmental sustainability, and gender equality.

Article 2 – Affiliation of the Centre and its management

1. The Centre is affiliated with a managerial area that provides for its management based on the University’s organisational structure and collaboration agreements with other institutions for the implementation of experimental projects in the field of scientific publishing - mainly in ‘open access’ mode - and scientific dissemination. This includes the management of scientific journals owned by the University or instrumental to the formation of the periodical publishing catalogue, in line with the indications of its governing bodies.

2. The resources necessary for the Centre's operation are allocated according to the resource programme decided by the Board of Directors and in relation to the objectives of the University's Integrated Activity and Organisation Plan.

Article 3 – Governing Bodies

The governing bodies of the Centre are:

1. The President;

2. The Scientific Editorial Steering Committee (hereinafter referred to as CISE).

Article 4 – The President

1. The President:

a) convenes and chairs the CISE, of which he/she is a member, and oversees the implementation of its resolutions;

b) promotes institutional activities, within the framework of the general objectives established by the University Board of Directors to which the President reports at least once a year;

c) submits the annual, multi-year and ordinary publishing plans and programme to the CISE.

2. The President is appointed with Rector’s Decree from among the tenured professors and researchers of the University of Florence possessing adequate teaching and scientific experience, based on the Rector’s substantiated proposal approved by the Academic Senate and the Board of Directors.

3. The President's term of office is four years and may be renewed once consecutively. To be eligible for appointment, the candidate must be able to serve for the full term of office before reaching retirement age.

4. The President may appoint a Vice-President from among the members of the CISE to assist and replace him/her in the event of absence or impediment.

Article 5 – The Scientific Editorial Steering Committee (CISE)

1. The CISE promotes the FUP’s development and directs its activities. It defines the FUP’s overall editorial objectives and strategies and contributes to sourcing authors and scientific collaborations. In particular, it: 

a. approves the editorial strategies and related implementation goals, including editorial projects and annual and multi-year publishing plans;

b. makes proposals regarding the structure of the catalogue;

c. approves the operational guidelines for the FUP’s annual planning;

d. approves the composition of the Scientific Committees and the scientific directors of the series and journals;

e. promotes and acquires the refereeing activities and scientific advice deemed appropriate for the publications;

f. expresses opinions on the appropriateness of the services rendered to users, as well as the economic terms to be applied to the services rendered to the University departments.

2. The functions under (c), (d) and (e) above may be entrusted to one or more committees of experts appointed by the CISE.

3. The CISE is composed of:

a. the President of the FUP;

b. five members chosen from the University's tenured professors and researchers appointed by the Academic Senate, based on the criteria of scientific-editorial competence;

c. up to a maximum of three members from outside the University, appointed by the Board of Directors;

d. the Director of the relevant area and the Technical Director, both without voting rights.

4. Members of the CISE referred to in b) and c) of the previous paragraph serve a four-year term and may only be reconfirmed once consecutively. They are not entitled to any remuneration.

5. The President may invite proposers and scholars of new projects to attend meetings of the CISE, but without voting rights.

6. The CISE may be divided into scientific and disciplinary committees, in which researchers, experts and consultants may be invited to participate, without being entitled to any remuneration.

7. The Technical Director is appointed by the Director General of the University and must be in possession of proven technical and professional requisites as specified in the job description, in accordance with the guidelines on the University’s technical-managerial structure.

Article 6 – Transitional Provision and Reference

1. In relation to the provisions of Article 2, paragraph 1 of these regulations, until 31 December 2025 (unless extended), reference shall be made to the ‘Collaboration Agreement for the implementation of experimental projects in scientific publishing,’ signed on 23 October 2024 by the University of Florence and PIN Scrl ‘Educational and Scientific Services for the University of Florence’ (now the Fondazione PIN).

2. Any matters not expressly covered by these regulations shall be governed by the University’s Regulations on the establishment, operation, and administrative management of Service Centres and the University’s Regulations for Administration, Finance, and Accounting.

Article 7 – Entry into Force

1. These Regulations shall enter into force the day after the date of their publication in the University’s Official Register.

2. Upon the entry into force of these Regulations, the previous Regulations of the Firenze University Press—issued by Rector’s Decree No. 1624, Prot. No. 243070 dated 30 December 2020—shall be repealed, and the current President and members of FUP’s governing bodies shall cease to hold office.