Project description
Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in European universities
Europe’s universities are the key to its future competitiveness. The EIT Higher Education Initiative (HEI) is transforming European universities into powerhouses of innovation and entrepreneurship. Its mission is to bridge the gap between higher education, business, and policy, ensuring that even underrepresented regions have the resources they need to thrive. The EU-funded EIT HEI project aims to engage hundreds of higher education institutions, focusing on transforming universities into engines of innovation and entrepreneurship. Having moved past its pilot phase, it is now helping schools across the continent, particularly in developing regions, modernise their strategies and drive real-world impact. The project will ensure that higher education institutions contribute to Europe’s competitiveness and societal transformation.
Objective
The EIT Higher Education Initiative is a flagship programme of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), implemented jointly by the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Communities, to strengthen innovation capacity in higher education across Europe. Entering its next phase (2026–2028), the initiative builds on a highly successful pilot (2021–2023) and consolidation phase (2024–2025), during which it engaged over 500 higher education institutions and established itself as the only EU programme dedicated exclusively to transforming universities into engines of innovation, entrepreneurship, and regional development. At its core, the EIT Higher Education Initiative provides targeted funding and capacity building to help universities embed innovation and entrepreneurship into their strategies, governance, and education systems. It does so by mobilising the knowledge triangle of education, research, and business through partnerships that connect HEIs with companies, startups, public bodies, and civil society. This approach ensures that higher education is not only a source of knowledge but also a driver of Europe’s competitiveness, resilience, and societal transformation.
Over the past years, the EIT Higher Education Initiative has established itself not only as a funding instrument but also as an important and necessary innovation ecosystem. By convening universities, startups, industry, policymakers, and civil society, it has built a Europe-wide community where collaboration thrives, good practices are shared, and long-term partnerships are formed. This ecosystem has become an indispensable part of Europe’s innovation landscape: it connects higher education with entrepreneurial ecosystems, fosters diversity and inclusivity, and ensures that transformation reaches beyond Europe’s traditional centres of excellence into widening regions and underrepresented higher education institutions.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.3 - The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-EIT-KIC - HORIZON EIT KIC Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIT-2025-KIC-IBA
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
10719 BERLIN
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.