HEInnovate is a self-reflection tool for Higher Education Institutions who wish to explore their innovative potential. It guides you through a process of identification, prioritisation and action planning in eight key areas. The self-assessment is available in all EU languages.
HEInnovate is not a benchmarking tool. It diagnoses areas of strength and weaknesss, opens up discussion on the entrepreneurial/innovative nature of your institution and allows you to compare and contrast evolution over time. You can have instant access to your results, learning materials and a pool of experts. HEInnovate can be used by all types of higher education institutions. It is free, confidential and open to anyone to use. Read more.
NEW: To further support Higher Education Institutions in their entrepreneurial development, seven profiles and corresponding sets of recommendations are now available for actions toward more innovative institutions! Read more
HEInnovate is an initiative of the European Commission launched in 2013 in partnership with the OECD. As a concept, it is embedded in numerous EU policy initiatives and funding programmes. Read more.
Entrepreneurial leadership and accountable governance are crucial to developing an entrepreneurial and innovative culture within an HEI. Such leadership defines entrepreneurship as a strategic priority and takes entrepreneurial and innovative practices from one-off experiment to an integrated approach that is core to how the HEI undertakes teaching, research and knowledge exchange.
The organisational capacity of an HEI drives its ability to deliver on its entrepreneurial strategy. If an HEI is committed to carrying out entrepreneurial activities to support its strategic objectives, then key resources such as people, funding and investments, expertise and knowledge, reward and incentive systems need to be in place to sustain and grow its capacity for entrepreneurship and innovation.
and Learning
Entrepreneurial teaching and learning involves exploring pedagogies, practices and flexible learning pathways to stimulate entrepreneurial mindsets in an inclusive and sustainable way. While the idea of creating a start-up remains a powerful and versatile pedagogical tool, entrepreneurship education is not just learning about how to transform an idea into a sustainable business. It is also about being exposed to entrepreneurial experiences and acquiring the skills and competences for developing an entrepreneurial mindset and equipping students to be able to contribute to addressing challenging issues such as sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
HEIs can help students, graduates and staff consider starting a business as a career option. At the outset it is important to help individuals reflect on the commercial, social, environmental, and lifestyle objectives related to their entrepreneurial aspirations and intentions. For those who decide to proceed to start a business, or other type of venture, targeted assistance can then be offered in generating, evaluating and acting upon the idea, building the skills necessary for successful entrepreneurship, and importantly finding relevant team members and getting access to appropriate finance and effective networks. In offering such support, an HEI should ideally act as part of a wider business support ecosystem rather than operating in isolation.
and Capability
HEIs are already deploying digital technologies, however the uptake and integration varies among and within institutions. HEIs should make the most out of the opportunities presented by digital transformation and consider digital technologies as a key enabler of innovation and entrepreneurship. An HEI’s digital capability is defined as the ability to integrate, optimise and transform digital technologies to support innovation and entrepreneurship.
and Networks
An entrepreneurial and innovative HEI proactively connects with its ecosystem (intended as an array of interlinked actors pooling skills and resources to pursue a common goal) to deliver social, cultural and economic benefits. The capacity to connect with entrepreneurial ecosystems and networks represents an important catalyst for organisational innovation in the HEI. It also helps the advancement of teaching and research, and transforms the HEI into an important actor in regional development and issues related to territorial cohesion.
A sustainable entrepreneurial HEI integrates the international into the design and delivery of education, research, and knowledge exchange by introducing new questions, approaches and alternative ways of thinking. Through considering international societal challenges, including the UN SDGs, the entrepreneurial HEI is also better equipped to support its ecosystem.
Entrepreneurial and innovative higher education institutions need to understand the impact of the changes they bring about. The entrepreneurial HEI combines institutional self-perception, external reflection and an evidence-based approach. An HEI that monitors the impact of all activities connected to the entrepreneurial and innovation agenda generates valuable information and data to be used to improve its own performance. Metrics should span beyond spin-off creation, the volume and quality of intellectual property generation and research income generation. Assessment activities should focus also on graduate entrepreneurship, skills and competence development, teaching and learning outcomes, talent retention, contribution to global, national and local economic development or the impact of the institution’s broader entrepreneurial agenda.
The steps below guide you through the features and content of HEInnovate. By clicking on the carousel figures, you will gain an overview of how to use HEInnovate for an individual or group self-assessment. . You can explore how to organise your HEInnovate workshops and join various HEInnovate events and webinars. You will know more about the new Action cards with recommendations based on entrepreneurial profiles. You can also read about available resources and other initiatives related to HEInnovate.
self-assessment
completion
Explore the eight dimensions of HEInnovate by completing the self-assessment. The self-assessment tool has the simple purpose of helping higher education institutions identify their current situation, respecting the local and national environments, and from that, agreeing on potential areas for action. Under eight dimensions, there are 38 statements to consider in relation to your institution. You can choose whether you want to complete all eight dimensions or focus only on a few selected areas.
HEInnovate has a group function, it is a highly versatile feature which allows people with different roles to compare their results and use them to generate discussion, dialogue and strategies for change.
The group function of HEInnovate is the best way for higher education institutions to use HEInnovate for institutional change. Once registered, any user can set up a group and invite colleagues and relevant internal and external stakeholders to complete the self-assessment as part of their group.
The HEInnovate self-assessment tool works best if it is used as part of a process for HEIs who are exploring their entrepreneurial and innovative potential rather than in isolation. Workshops are an important part of the process as they provide an opportunity for those involved to discuss and prioritise actions for the future.
You can find additional information on how to organise your workshop among the Training Materials, including an HEInnovate Training Manual with suggestions for draft workshop agendas, whom to invite and format for the workshops; presentations about HEInnovate, workshop guides and an action sheet.
You can also seek advice to the organisation of your workshop by contacting the HEInnovate Team or the members of the HEInnovate expert team.
Explore the HEInnovate resources. The website provides access to relevant resources for further improvement and inspiration. The resources include:
- Case studies on institutional practices along the eight dimensions of HEInnovate.
- User stories about the different experiences of HEIs undertaking the HEInnovate assessment.
- Guidance notes linked to the individual HEInnovate statements to gain ideas and guidance on how to further your institutions practices and approaches along the different statements.
- Country reviews, prepared by the OECD using HEInnovate.
The HEInnovate action cards provide HEIs specific recommendations based on their entrepreneurial profile. Each HEI can assign itself to one of seven profiles that best suits its entrepreneurial development and its institutional strength. The Action cards put forward relevant and actionable recommendations for short-, medium- and long-term implementation tailored to each institutional profile along the dimensions of HEInnovate. The 56 action cards and accompanying instruction materials can be downloaded and are best used in a workshop setting.
and webinars
Sign up to our news and newsletter to receive notifications about the latest articles and upcoming events. We are also running a series of webinars, which usually take place at 5pm CET/CEST on the last Thursday of the month. The webinars engage invited speakers in discussions and experience sharing around topics of relevance to the current discourse in the field of higher education, with a special focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.
Here you can learn more about:
- The EIT HEI Capacity Building Initiative, and
- The Entrepreneurial Potential and Innovation Competences (EPIC) course assessment tool
in numbers
You can view and download case studies that showcase different institutional approaches and practices along the eight dimensions of HEInnovate,
and user stories about the experiences of various HEIs undertaking the HEInnovate assessment.
- User stories
by Juliana Vassileva Abstract: New Bulgarian University (NBU) used HEInnovate to evaluate and improve its entrepreneurial ecosystem. Involving students and faculty, the tool helped identify current activities, inspire new ideas, and encourage reflection. It boosted teamwork within the university, project-based additional initiatives and connections with Sofia’s startup community. HEInnovate was more than a diagnostic tool — it sparked cultural alignment and more purposeful complimentary activities across NBU. What is your role and what is the context of your institution? I am Juliana Vassileva...
- Case studies
Entrepreneurship is part of the mission of the University of Bologna (UNIBO), and the University also seeks to develop entrepreneurship education. Until March 2024, UNIBO coordinated the project Educators for Impact, funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme. The project aimed to empower educators and students to solve societal challenges. Developing and running an online training course with Personal Application Projects (PAPs) was a key operational objective. The Educators for Impact Training offers two strands: First, an Exploratory Pathway that comprises 14 hours of online...
The expert group is an important driving force behind taking HEInnovate forward.
In this section you can read the profiles of our experts and contact them.
Professor Ellen Hazelkorn is Professor Emeritus at TU Dublin, a Joint Editor of Policy Reviews in Higher Education, and a Joint Managing Partner at BH Associates education consultants in Ireland. She has collaborated with international organisations...
László is an economist who serves as an Associate Professor at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University's Institute of Education and as an associate editor for Tertiary Education and Management. His work centres on enhancing the strategic capabilities of higher...
Jean-Michel Viola is the Director General and Dean at Mesos Business School, which operates in France, India, and the Philippines. He is a full professor teaching strategic management, entrepreneurship, and CSR at all levels. For ten years, he was an...
Thomas Crispeels is a professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and chair of the Brussels Entrepreneurship and Innovation Lab at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. His research centres on the role of academia in a modern, technology-driven society...
Dr Victoria Galan-Muros is a globally recognised expert in higher education policy, management, engagement, sustainability, and innovation. With a career spanning 50+ countries, she operates at the intersection of universities, businesses, and...
Charlotte Norrman currently serves as a senior associate professor at the Department of Management and Engineering at Linköping University (LiU). She began her career in entrepreneurship working at supporting organisations such as a chamber of...
Juliana Vassileva is an Associate Professor at New Bulgarian University (NBU) in Sofia, where she teaches and researches entrepreneurship, innovation, competitiveness, digital transformation, and the application of AI in business. She holds a...
Dr. Marina Ranga is an international scholar in innovation studies, currently serving as Associate Professor of Innovation Management at the University of Warsaw’s Faculty of Management and as Manager of the Innovation Hub at the University of...
Dr. ir. Peter Joore is professor of applied sciences and chair of the Open Innovation Research group at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. NHL Stenden is founding partner of RUN-EU, an alliance of eight higher...
Manja Klemenčič researches, teaches, advises, and acts as a consultant in sociology and politics of higher education (HE), European HE, and various policy instruments in areas of student-centred learning and teaching, student representation, impact...
With a background in Law (University of Lisbon), a Master’s in Creative Industries Management (Portuguese Catholic University – Porto), and currently pursuing a PhD in Management with a focus on Strategy and Organisational Development (ISCTE-IUL), I...
Vilma Purienė is the Head of the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Centre at VILNIUS TECH. She has over 15 years of experience in research and innovation policy, as well as national and international project management. Additionally, she is the...
Hannes Raffaseder is CEO/President of the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences and co-founder and President of E³UDRES², the Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University as Driver for European Smart and Sustainable Regions. In June 2023 he...
María José Herrero Villa holds degrees in business and a PhD in Economics and Innovation Management from the Autonomous University of Madrid. She is the Head of the Innovation Ecosystem Development Unit at the Support Service for Entrepreneurship and...
Dr Christophe Haunold leads the central office for partnerships, knowledge, and technology transfer at the University of Luxembourg. He is the immediate past president of ASTP, the foremost pan-European association for Knowledge Transfer. Until May...
Dr. Mona Roman is a Research Director at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland and a Lead Coordinator for U!REKA European University Alliance with 30 partners. She received her DSc. in Industrial Engineering and Management at...
Bernhard Weber is the Managing Director of ZWI – Centre for Knowledge and Innovation Transfer GmbH (Unicorn Start-up & Innovation Hub) in Graz, Austria, a position he has held since 2016. He oversees the strategic direction, establishment, and...
Ana-Cristina Nicolescu is Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at West University of Timișoara, Romania, responsible for quality assurance, institutional accreditations, certifications, and rankings, as well as a Full...
Professor Dr. Bernhard Kölmel is an expert in technology, digital transformation, and innovation management, focusing on converging technologies like cloud, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT...
Marian Holienka is a professor of entrepreneurship and the Head of the Department of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia. He supervises the undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship study programmes that he...
Inga Lapiņa is a Professor and Vice-Dean for Study at Riga Technical University (RTU). She holds a Doctorate in Economics and a Master of Science in Education. Inga has over 25 years of experience in strategic development and management within higher...
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Barcelona, 25 June 2025 – Set against the vibrant backdrop of Barcelona’s innovation ecosystem, the first CEI Study Visit of 2025 took place on 18–19 June, focusing on Entrepreneurial Skills and Mindsets in Education: From Ideas to Action. Hosted by the Centre for Funding and Innovation (CFI...
Berlin, 19 June 2025 – The first HEInnovate Train-the-Trainer (TtT) workshop of 2025 took place on 18–19 June at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, bringing together 24 participants from +15 countries, including members of European University Alliances and institutions across Europe and its...
HEInnovate is advancing its collaboration with European Universities alliances to support their strategic development in innovation and entrepreneurship. As multi-institutional partnerships play an increasingly prominent role in Europe’s higher education landscape, HEInnovate provides a structured...