Ján Figel, the European Commissioner for Education and Training, Culture and Youth, said, “The EIT is a unique, new structure”
EIT’s governing board used the meeting to start a dialogue with interested parties to establish a common vision for the KICs.
Speaking at the event, Ján Figel, the European Commissioner for Education and Training, Culture and Youth, said, “The EIT is a unique, new structure that will bring together the worlds of education, research and business innovation. The key to its success will be how KICs, will function. This is why I very much welcome the initiative of the EIT governing board to actively engage in an exchange of ideas with interested parties.”
Martin Schuurmans, Chairman of the EIT Governing Board, said the format of KICs is critical. “If KICs are to deliver on innovation, we need to shape them very carefully.” It is necessary to find news ways to bring together education, research and technology, business creation and entrepreneurship, he said.
“The EIT is not just new wine in old skins. It is therefore a top priority for the EIT governing board to identify those factors that will make the KICs a success.”
The outcome of the debate, which involves representatives of business, entrepreneurship, research and higher education, will feed back to the governing board, which is planning to publish a call for proposals for the first KICs in spring 2009. The selection of the first two to three KICs is due by the end of January 2010.
The EIT operates on two levels: the governing board, which oversees the strategic priorities of the EIT, and the KICs, which do the research, teaching and innovation work. The KICs are envisioned as highly integrated partnerships that bring together excellence from the worlds of higher education, research, innovative business and entrepreneurship.
The ambition is that they will be drivers of innovation in fields that pose major societal challenges, such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, sustainable energy and the future information and communication society.
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