EIT launches call for proposals to boost innovation in Higher Education Institutions

22/11/2021

Unlocking the potential of higher education institutions for innovation and entrepreneurship is a key priority for the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), aiming to foster institutional change and further integrate them into innovation ecosystems.

To this end, the EIT’s HEI Initiative has launched its second call for proposals (EIT HEI Call 2), with the objective of supporting higher education institutions (HEIs) to design activities that will improve their entrepreneurial and innovation capacity, including:

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 first phase of funding will run from July to December 2022, and projects will receive a maximum of €300,000 during this period. Upon the successful completion of Phase 1, the second phase of funding will award up to €900,000 between January 2023 and June 2024.

Deadline: 28 February 2022.

The initiative is also organising online info sessions to present the EIT HEI Call 2 in more detail and answer questions. The webinars will cover eligibility requirements, evaluation, administration, and guidance on how to define an Innovation Vision Action Plan.
Register for one of the free info sessions below:

In addition, HEInnovate will run a webinar on 13 December 17:00−18:15 CET, to help potential applicants use the HEInnovate website, a self-reflection tool for Higher Education Institutions wishing to explore their innovation potential. The webinar will focus on the use of the website and its self-assessment instrument. Register for the HEInnovate webinar.

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, broken down as follows: €400,000 for Phase 1 (July−December 2021) and €800,000 for Phase 2 (January 2022−July 2023).

Download the HEI Call 2 Factsheet for more information, or visit the EIT HEI Initiative website to learn more, including deadlines and eligibility criteria.