Guild of universities wants EU’s next research programme to help consolidate innovation ecosystems

The Guild of European research-intensive universities is calling for “a bold EU innovation policy” that will increase “the transferability of research results into innovations,” in a paper published today.

The signatories hope that EU’s next framework programme will enable stronger and more effective collaborations between universities, businesses, the public sector and civil society.

To achieve that, the guild makes the following recommendations:

• The European Innovation Council (EIC) should focus on creating European added value across innovation ecosystems.
• Increase funding for collaborative research at low technology readiness levels (TRLs).
• Improve links between new knowledge and private investment.
• Support all types of innovation, including social and cultural innovation.
• The support of innovation ecosystems through the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) must be open, costeffective and scalable.
• Support Open Innovation (OI) to encourage more exchange and cocreation of ideas wherever appropriate, and to enable the sustainable participation of all actors in innovation ecosystems.
• Europe’s regional innovation performance should be strengthened by making universities more actively involved in the Smart Specialisation strategies.