The University also carries out contract activities ‘on behalf of third parties’, that is, activities that involve the provision of services for the market. These are real commercial activities, which generally involve carrying out research (more rarely an educational activity) for companies or other bodies. Research and teaching projects can be defined on demand whereas routine activities such as tests on concrete or ropes are proposed within a catalogue. Contract activities are an important source of funding for universities, because their profit margins may be used to fund institutional activities. In 2020, the University approved a new internal regulation on contract activities, with the aim of promoting their development and consolidating relationships with businesses. The graph shows the figures in the financial statements: the total value of contract activities does not represent the sum of the orders received in a year, but the value of the contract activities undertaken in that period.This type of activity is growing, especially for contracts signed with private companies.