The establishment of the University of Bologna began to evolve in Bologna in the late 11th century. The University of Bologna has 47 funded research projects under Horizon 2020 within 33 departments in 11 schools. The University of Bologna also has 12 Research and Training Centres. The marine science research group (MSG) was founded in 1997 to undertake research in the areas of marine biology and ecology. The group's traditional research concerns the ecological distribution, reproductive biology and population dynamics of tropical and Mediterranean corals. The Marine Science Group has undertaken studies on corals, gravity and molluscs, and are continuously involved in citizen science. The Marine Science Group has, since its inception, published 55 publications in international scientific journals.