HEI Initiative - Innovation Capacity Building for Higher Education

Within Horizon Europe and included as one of the three specific objectives in the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's (EIT) Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA) 2021-2027, the European Commission (EC) expects the EIT and the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) to raise the bar in higher education and create systemic impact by (i) strengthening the innovation and entrepreneurial capacity of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) at institutional level, (ii) integrating HEIs in innovation ecosystems and (iii) enlarging the EIT KIC reach to engage EIT KIC partner and non-partner HEIs by launching the EIT HEI Initiative.

The EIT HEI 2023-2025 proposal will operationalize the favourable decision by the EIT Governing Board to continue the HEI Initiative.

It offers an overview of how the HEI Initiative will leverage progress to date in advancing its goal of enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship capacity building in European higher education and fostering institutional transformation.

The proposal introduces additional activities for the 2024-2025 period, marking the expansion of the Initiative beyond its pilot phase.To realize the objectives outlined in the proposal, the document delineates the vision, structure, and implementation strategy for initiative-level coordination of the program, outlining the parameters for the participation of all EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities in terms of their involvement in Work Packages.

It seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the timeline, focus areas, budget, and anticipated impact of HEI Initiative Cohorts 2, 3 and 4 offering detailed insights into the lifecycle of individual HEI Initiative projects and their significance.

Overall, the proposal underscores the substantial potential of the HEI Initiative as a significant catalyst for transforming European Higher Education Institutions into hubs of innovation.