With the support of the EIT, the first phase of the EcoAction project has been successfully completed. In addition to supporting innovation and entrepreneurship education, the Óbuda University (ÓE) also took on the communication of the project’s results, which strengthens the international visibility of the institution. This is the first EIT HEI grant that the university has won.
“This grant fits in with the processes that were started in the EIÖ – ÖKO1 project supported by the NKFIH, and continued in our ÖKO2 Innovation Ecosystem projects. We work together with our partners, the Finnish SeAMK – Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, who is the lead applicant, and the Hungarian Pannon Economic Network (PBN), to transform into an entrepreneurial university and to fully realize the results of the innovation ecosystem. We are proud that there is great interest from students and exciting start-up ideas are already taking shape,” said Gedeon Tímea, head of the University Research and Innovation Center (EKIK) Innovation Office and project manager of the grant.
The implementation period of the project is from July 2022 to June 2024. “In the period from July to December 2022, ÓE achieved significant results. Within the consortium, we shared the methodology of the innovation ecosystems existing at partner universities, organized several training programs and workshops both within and outside the university. On November 18, we invited the leaders who play a key role in implementing ÓE’s innovation strategy to a meeting where we jointly reviewed how the elements of the innovation ecosystem work in our institution. Lastly, on December 7, we organized the university’s industrial day, which was attended by the leaders of faculties and 50 industrial players,” summarized Dr. Zrubka Zsombor, the professional leader of EcoAction, the milestones of the past semester. The project’s English-language website and social media communication will soon be launched.
By joining the network of more than 270 organizations, the selected partners participate in the EIT Higher Education Initiative, which aims to support educational institutions with expertise, financing, and access to the EIT innovation ecosystem. The program has so far provided funding for about 50 projects. The goal of the EIT Higher Education Initiative (HEI) is to stimulate innovation in European higher education and support the dual transition towards a more sustainable, digital, and competitive Europe.
