The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has launched its largest-ever call under the Higher Education Initiative (HEI), announcing up to €70 million in funding to boost STEM education, strengthen innovation ecosystems, and deepen cooperation between universities and industry across Europe
The 2025 call marks a significant expansion of the programme, emphasising collaboration with the European Universities alliances for the first time.
Investing in Europe’s innovation capacity
Running from 2026 to 2028, the new call aims to reinforce Europe’s ability to translate knowledge into impactful solutions by supporting the development of skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
The programme will provide up to €2 million per project to selected consortia and will focus on accelerating early-stage innovation by enhancing the capabilities of students, researchers, and university staff.
By 2028, the initiative expects to train 200,000 learners in core areas such as innovation management, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property. The call aligns closely with broader EU objectives, including the Union of Skills, the STEM Education Strategic Plan, and the Startup and Scaleup Strategy, all of which look to empower Europe’s talent base and maintain its technological competitiveness.
The link between universities and innovation ecosystems
A defining feature of this year’s call is the strengthened cooperation between EIT’s established Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and the European Universities alliances. This collaboration is designed to bridge gaps between education, research, and industry, enabling universities to play a stronger role in shaping Europe’s innovation-driven future.
The EIT emphasises that universities are uniquely positioned to drive early-stage innovation by nurturing ideas at their inception. By expanding support for talent development and entrepreneurship training, the call encourages institutions to transform research and academic expertise into real-world solutions, new ventures, and future jobs.
Application opportunities and support for consortia
The call invites consortia of higher education institutions, businesses, research organisations, public bodies, and other partners to submit proposals. To help applicants build strong partnerships and prepare competitive submissions, the EIT has introduced several support tools:
- A matchmaking platform to facilitate partner searches and alliance building.
- A new interactive guide to help teams assess eligibility and project readiness.
- Two dedicated info sessions are taking place in December 2025 and January 2026, offering practical advice on priorities, expectations, and collaboration opportunities.
Applications are open until 4 March 2026 (17:00 CET). Selected projects are expected to be announced later in 2026.
Building on a strong track record
Since its launch in 2021, the EIT Higher Education Initiative has become the only EU programme entirely devoted to fostering innovation capacity in the higher education sector. Over the past four years, it has supported more than 500 higher education institutions, trained more than 118,000 learners, and helped over 2,000 startups and scaleups grow through innovation training, entrepreneurship support, and early-stage development programmes.
The initiative forms part of the EIT Campus, which aims to train 2.3 million learners by 2028 as part of Europe’s effort to strengthen its global leadership in innovation.
With the launch of this new €70 million call, the EIT reinforces its commitment to empowering universities, developing talent, and fostering cross-border collaboration.
