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New EIT initiative and pilot call to boost innovation in higher education


24 March 2021

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) launched the HEI Initiative: Innovation Capacity Building for Higher Education, a new initiative to unlock the full innovation potential of higher education institutions by increasing their entrepreneurial and innovation capacity whilst integrating them into Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem. EUA provided its views in the public consultation on the initiative in September 2020.


The new EIT Regulation contains a new pilot call for proposals inviting European higher education institutions to design institution-wide action plans that will improve their entrepreneurial and innovation capacity across all institutional levels.

As of July 2021, and for a period of two years, 23 pilot projects will be selected and implemented. Each pilot project could be awarded a maximum of EUR 1.2 million with up to EUR 400,000 for Phase 1 (July − December 2021) and up to EUR 800,000 for Phase 2 (January 2022 - July 2023).

Activities can focus on several themes, including:

  • Fostering institutional engagement and change.
  • Strengthening partnerships between higher education, business and research organisations.
  • Developing innovation and business support services.
  • Enhancing the quality of entrepreneurial education.
  • Creating and disseminating knowledge.

The deadline for submitting proposals is 25 May 2021, and the selected pilot projects will be announced in June 2021.

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