EIT HEI Initiative launches new call for proposals

The EIT’s HEI Initiative has recently launched its second call for proposals. The initiative aims to help higher education institutions (HEIs) to design activities that will improve their entrepreneurial and innovation capacity. Earlier in 2021, NUIG was awarded €1.2M in funding to run the Idea to Impact (i2i) programme under the HEI initiative.

Boosting innovation in HEIs is a key objective for the EIT as part of its new strategy, the EIT Strategic Innovation Agenda (SIA) 2021-2027. An objective that is shared by European universities themselves, who have called for government help to implement innovation strategies, as recently reported by Science Business.

In the article, Stephane Berghmans, Director of Research and Innovation at the European University Association (EUA) is quoted as saying: “The rapidly increasing focus on innovation is outpacing the availability of support mechanisms and creating the need to adjust institutional approaches.”

EIT’s HEI Initiative comes as a timely and coordinated response to this need. The second call invites consortia of eligible HEIs to apply and “take this opportunity to unlock their potential for innovation and entrepreneurship”.

Selected projects will receive expert coaching and funding to develop their innovation activities, increasing their impact on local and regional ecosystems.

Earlier this year, the initiative’s Pilot Call funded 24 pilot projects, including 142 HEIs. The total maximum budget per pilot project was €1.2 million.

If your HEI is considering forming a consortium, read more about the eligibility criteria. Applicants’ activities can focus on several themes:

Fostering institutional engagement and change
Strengthening partnerships
Developing innovation and businesses
Enhancing the quality of entrepreneurial education
Creating and disseminating knowledge.

Up to 40 consortia will be selected, and each selected project will be awarded a maximum of €1.2 million.

The initiative is also organising online sessions to answer any questions you may have about applying. The webinars will cover eligibility requirements, evaluation, administration, and guidance on how to define an Innovation Vision Action Plan.

Visit the EIT HEI Initiative website to learn more.