Technology transfer is one of the three dimensions of the university’s third mission, described as a process that allows an effective exchange of knowledge from the producer to the user. Indeed, while at the beginning of their existence universities were not concerned with social and economic issues, today they are completely involved in the development of society. In this sense, Italian higher education institutions are now exploiting several instruments, in order to better connect themselves to their internal and external stakeholders, as well as to contribute to the common good. The aim of this paper is to assess if and how this trend is part of the strategic planning process of each institution and of the national university system as a whole. To do so, this paper will analyze the mission statements disclosed by the 97 Italian universities, in order to individuate what values they communicate, as well as to evaluate their interest in transferring research results for social development. The findings suggest that in about one-third of the institutions analyzed, this “new” role seems to be their primary task and it’s regarded as a means to better address the traditional missions of teaching and research. This is especially true for state universities, while non-state universities appears to be more focused only on teaching activities. Future research will aim at identifying whether there is a correspondence between what is officially declared and the actual engagement of the institutions to the development and enhancement of the common good.