The Institute is responsible for the arbitration of important scientific prizes and for their promotion throughout the world. The most important of these is the International Prize in Communications that the City of Genoa awards each year to a recipient who has made a major contribution to progress in communications through discovery, research, a project or another initiative. The prize considers both scientific and technical achievement as well as the social and humanitarian point of view, awarding those who have made advances in communications for economic and civic development as well as enhanced collaboration among people.
The prize is awarded by the Mayor of Genoa in a public ceremony during the Columbus Day celebrations. The recipient is determined on the basis of recommendations made by a scientific commission nominated and presided by the President of the National Council for Research (CNR) in which the President of the IIC also participates.
The Institute is also arbiter for the awarding of the Columbus Medal.