The National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS is a public research institute financed by the Ministry of University and Research. This is a scientific internationally orientated institution, whose roots go back to the School of Astronomy and Navigation founded in Trieste by the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa in 1753. According to its historical tradition of excellence and aimed at spreading knowledge and scientific culture in the field of Earth Science, OGS operates and develops its own mission in E.R.A. (the European Research Area, http://ec.europa.eu/research/era/) as well as at international level with particular focus on the basic and applied research field such as oceanography (physics, chemistry and biology), geophysics and marine geology, applied and exploration geophysics.

The OGS is organized into three Scientific Sections, namely Oceanography, Geophysics, and Seismology, and one Technological Section, named Research Infrastructure.

The Centro di Ricerche Sismologiche - CRS is a Scientific Section of the OGS. The CRS is located in Udine (main office), but it has offices in Trieste, as well. The CRS was first created by the State Law n. 828/82, for the reconstruction of Friuli after the 1976 earthquake, and then established by the State Law n. 399, of November 30, 1989, with the institutional aim of “...conducting, in scientific autonomy and within specific projects, research studies on the seismicity and seismogenic features of north-eastern Italy, as well as maintaining and developing the associated seismic monitoring network also for civil protection purposes”. The CRS was formally set up as a OGS Department in 1991 and as a OGS Scientific Section in 2012.