On 14 April, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the future strategy of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The EIT, created in 2008 and headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, currently operates through the three knowledge and innovation communities (KICs) funded thus far – on sustainable energy, climate change and communication society – which together link 16 sites in Europe alone (see ACA Newsletter - Education Europe, April 2009). In 2008, the institute received a total envelope of EUR 309 million from the EU budget, which is to be spent until 2013 – the end of the current EU financial framework.

The consultation, which is open until 30 June 2011, will inform the ‘strategic innovation agenda’ of EIT, which is to be proposed by the European Commission by the end of the year. The European Commission proposal will be further informed by the results of an independent evaluation and by a proposal of EIT itself. The agenda will set EIT’s main priorities until the end of this decade, as well as funding-related aspects.

This consultation is part of a broader debate on the future of EU research and innovation funding (see ACA Newsletter - Education Europe, February 2011).

EIT Consultation