The Politecnico di Milano with its 17 Departments and 45.000 students, is one of the leading Italian University in the fields of engineering, architecture and planning.

Directed by Prof. Alessandro Balducci since 2002, The DiAP, pursues scientific research and teaching objectives in the field of architectural, urban, regional and environmental change, a set of subjects that cannot be tackled with a purely disciplinary perspective. There are new meeting points in the evolution of disciplinary areas, between environment, community and architectural planners and between communications, policy, visual art and management experts. This multidisciplinary approach is a particular characteristic of the department, that it's able to offer expertise and products to meet emerging demands from processes of physical and social change, to a plurality of people and organisations (local authorities, social and business actors, researchers and teachers).

There are many fields of research and consultancy - such as territorial analysis, analysis and design of planning processes, new policy instruments, strategic planning, environmental planning, infrastructures planning and design, "ambient design", architectural and urban project - and DiAP is articulated in Research Areas, where 15 Laboratories develop new teaching programmes and scientific tools.

The Diap directly promotes four PhD courses:
one in Urban, Territorial and Environmental Planning, coordinated by prof. Giorgio Ferraresi;
one in Urban Projects and Policies, coordinated by prof. Luigi Mazza;
one in Preservation of Architectural Heritage, coordinated by prof. Alberto Grimoldi ,
and one in in Urban and Architectural Design, coordinated by prof. Ernesto D'Alfonso. It gives also the major contribution to the teaching staff of the Phd course in Interior Design and Getting Ready, coordinated by prof. Cesare Stevan.

The Diap promotes 7 Master Courses:

- Three self-financed :
“Manager delle Politiche e dei Programmi di sviluppo e coesione”, directed by Gabriele Pasqui;
“Politiche Temporali per la qualità della vita e la mobilità sostenibile”, directed by Prof. Sandra Bonfiglioli”;
“ Sistemi museali nel territorio per la conservazione e valorizzazione dei patrimoni diffusi”, directed by Prof. Giuliana Ricci

- four financed by the FSE (Social European Found):
“Social Planning.” , directed by prof. Costanzo Ranci;
“Progettazione Strategica integrata degli insediamenti”, directed by prof. Sergio Crotti;
“Restauro del Moderno. Istruttoria e Progetto per la tutela e il recupero di architetture del XX secolo”, directed by prof. Maria Antonietta Crippa;
“Governo del Territorio e delle Risorse Fisiche”, directed by prof. Pierluigi Paolillo and prof. Enrico Larcan but with administrative office in the Centro per lo Sviluppo del Polo di Cremona.

and a Post-graduated Specializing School of Monuments Restoration, directed by Prof. Amedeo Bellini.

DiAP publishes since 1988 "Territorio" a quarterly internationally recognized journal in the field of planning, with up to date information on the educational and research activities run by the Department.

With the support of Planum, Diap publishes an international newsletter.
(Download the newsletter in NEWS AND EVENTS section).

The Diap counts four Department Libraries, articulated in 4 thematic sections: one in Architecture and Planning, rich of 4.500 items and of 100 journals, specialized in regional and town planning; a Found dedicated to "Liliana Grassi", with 4.285 volumes of art history, landscape architecture and restoration, a specific section of history and preservation of architecture and a last section of Urban Techniques.

DiAP is member of the European Urban Research Association (EURA), and of the Association of European School of Planning (AESOP), of the Associazione Italiana Scuole Regionali (AISRE); of the Istituto Nazionale Urbanisti (INU) and it is the registered office of the Società Italiana degli Urbanisti (SIU).

The Diap participates in various international programs such as Socrates, a Teaching Staff Mobility, a research program financed by the “Plan Urbanisme Construction Architecture” of the French Planning Ministry and organize a Jean Monnet international training program, on “Territorial Cohesion in Europe”.

For informations in Italian please visit the DiAP website: http://www.diap.polimi.it