The European Institute of Innovation and Technology has announced a major €70 million call to strengthen STEM education, expand innovation capacity, and bolster the future European workforce. The new call, launched under the EIT Higher Education Initiative, marks the largest funding round in the programme’s history and introduces closer cooperation between EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities and the European Universities alliances.
The 2025 call is designed to reinforce Europe’s innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics while supporting both the Union of Skills and the EU’s STEM Education Strategic Plan. The initiative expects to train 200000 students, academics, and non-academic staff in innovation, entrepreneurship, and intellectual property management by 2028.
The funding programme will provide up to €2 million per project for 24 months beginning in 2026 and ending in 2028. Its objective is to strengthen STEM-related innovation, deepen collaboration across Europe’s universities, and activate the continent’s broad innovation ecosystem to meet economic and talent needs. According to the EIT, the initiative will also help advance the Startup and Scaleup Strategy by supporting institutions in translating early-stage ideas into impactful ventures.
Applications are open to consortia that may include higher education institutions, businesses, research organisations, public bodies, and other partners. Applicants can access a matchmaking platform, a detailed call text, and a new interactive guide to assess eligibility and readiness. Two information sessions are planned for December 2025 and January 2026 to help prospective applicants understand priorities and collaboration opportunities.
Submissions will be accepted until 4 March 2026 at 17:00 CET, with successful projects to be announced later in the year. The EIT Higher Education Initiative remains the only EU programme dedicated entirely to innovation in higher education and has already supported more than 500 institutions, trained over 118000 participants and helped more than 2000 startups and scaleups grow. It forms part of EIT Campus, which aims to train 2.3 million learners by 2028 to secure Europe’s leadership in innovation.
KEY QUOTES
“Europe’s future depends on people – on the skills, creativity, and resilience of our students, academic staff, and researchers. With this new call, we are investing directly in them, empowering universities to equip the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs with the future-ready skills Europe needs. By advancing our Union of Skills and the EU’s STEM Education Strategic Plan, we are turning Europe’s talent into our greatest strategic advantage.”
Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness
“Europe’s universities have the potential to be powerful engines of innovation, helping students and researchers turn ideas into ventures that shape our future. Focused on the early stages of the innovation journey, this programme supports them in translating knowledge into real impact. With its strong emphasis on STEM, it contributes to the Startup and Scaleup Strategy and strengthens Europe’s ability to scale breakthrough ideas.”
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation
“Europe’s future competitiveness depends on our ability to turn knowledge into impact. We want to strengthen the bridge between universities, business, and research empowering STEM talent and institutions to translate ideas into new solutions, which lead to new companies and jobs. By investing in skills and partnerships, the EIT is ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Martin Kern, EIT Director
