Universities’ “Third” Mission, Industrial Conversion and the Quest for Surgical Masks: A Sicilian Tale from the First COVID-19 Lockdown

Abstract

This contribution is a brief testimony of a “third mission” project conducted in collaboration by two university departments that, despite the operational difficulties, and thanks to institutional support, have promoted an initiative aimed at the productive reconversion of a clothing sector company into a health sector company. The project highlights the benefits of integrating different areas of scientific expertise and highlights the role of full involvement and co-creation of a new production unit. Moreover, it is an example of the role that the university can play in a complex operational context in support of a constructive relationship between public and private actors for the development of the territory, especially in times of crisis.