SUPSI (University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland) is a young academic institution founded in 1997, with a strong impact on the region, in terms of educational, testing and consulting activities.

The Institute of Materials and Construction is accredited ISO/IEC 17025 for building materials by the Swiss accreditation service. It is active in the field of materials and structures, technology and durability, construction diagnostics and conservation and restoration of the built environment. It belongs to the SUPSI Department of environment, construction and design and is located in the town of Mendrisio, Switzerland.

The city already hosts the Academy of Architecture, and multiple synergies between both institutions are present in the didactic and research fields