24 Mar 2026
EIT Higher Education Initiative call receives record number of applications
The recent call for proposals for the EIT Higher Education Initiative has received 138 applications, marking the highest number to date. The call had been launched on 3 December 2025 and closed on 4 March 2026. It offers up to €2 million per project, supporting universities and their partners in strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship capacity, with a focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) talent and closer collaboration between higher education, industry and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) ecosystem. A total of €70 million in EIT funding is available to support selected projects.
1,865 organisations from across Europe and beyond participated in this call, including 861 higher education institutions and 515 private companies, alongside other innovation actors, reflecting strong collaboration between academia, industry and the wider innovation landscape. The participants come from 61 different countries, including alls EU Member States. 455 of the higher education institutions participating in this call had not been previously funded under the initiative.
36 European Universities alliances submitted proposals, highlighting the increasing role of cross-border cooperation in strengthening Europe’s higher education and innovation systems. The strong response also reflects a growing alignment with the EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), particularly in areas such as digital technologies, manufacturing, climate and health, further reinforcing connections between higher education and Europe’s key innovation ecosystems.
Evaluation of proposals is currently ongoing, with results expected in July 2026.
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