Understand HEInnovate & the 8 Dimensions
Get an overview of the HEInnovate framework and its eight dimensions. These resources help you grasp the core principles of HEInnovate and provide clear explanations of each dimension.
Each statement in the self-assessment has a corresponding guidance note. These notes explain what the statement is looking at and provide examples of how institutions can address it.
These reports analyse the higher education system of a specific country through the lens of the HEInnovate framework. They were conducted by the OECD in partnership with the European Commission between 2015 and 2021.
Get inspired by other HEIs
Learn from the experiences of higher education institutions across Europe. Explore case studies that showcase diverse practices and provide inspiration across the eight HEInnovate dimensions. Find testimonials that illustrate how institutions are using HEInnovate in practice. Discover real-life lessons and outcomes.
You can view and download case studies that showcase different institutional approaches and good practices along the eight dimensions of HEInnovate.
Read about the different uses and experiences of higher education institutions using the HEinnovate framework. The user stories also highlight lessons learnt and results achieved.
Implement HEInnovate in your institution
Support for you and your institution to work with the HEInnovate framework in a structured, collaborative way. Workshop Guides and Training Materials help you plan, deliver, and follow up on workshops of all sizes.
A comprehensive guide to HEInnovate. It explains the features of the website, how to set up groups, and describes three types of workshops you can run.
Short chapters from the Training Manual with focused advice on how to run different types of workshops, set the agenda, and decide whom to invite.
Turn insights into action
Transform your HEInnovate results into practical next steps. These tools help institutions prioritise actions, engage teams, and move from assessment to implementation, to ensure continuous, meaningful improvement.
Concise cards summarising practical actions aligned with each HEInnovate dimension. Use them to spark discussions and identify priorities.
Visual tools and worksheets to document goals, map short- to long-term actions, and organise activities into work packages. Includes the Action Planning Board, Work Package Planning Board, and Action Sheet.
All resources
by Natalia Nianchuk Abstract: Odessa National Economic University used HEInnovate as a university-wide development tool and within the U!Innovate project to strengthen its approach to innovation and entrepreneurship. After participating in the Train the Trainers session in Berlin in June 2025, the methodology was introduced internally through...
This case study examines the Student Project Incubator within the Una Europa Alliance — an interdisciplinary learning initiative supporting student-led innovation and collaboration. It highlights that entrepreneurship and innovation extend beyond business creation, encompassing diverse student-driven initiatives. It operates as an inclusive...
This case study presents the "Playground for Entrepreneurs," an innovative, gamified, and inclusive learning tool developed in the Netherlands to support early-stage entrepreneurial exploration. The initiative addresses common barriers in entrepreneurship education, such as limited access to quality coaching and the need for experiential...
The HEInnovate Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit supports higher education institutions and European Universities Alliances in systematically identifying, engaging, and collaborating with key stakeholders throughout the HEInnovate Transformation Journey. The guide introduces core principles of effective stakeholder engagement and provides practical...
by Lidia Gryszkiewicz, Stephanie Kaudela-Baum, Piotr Kopyciński, Marek Oramus Abstract: Through the DISCO project, institutions from Poland, Switzerland, and Ukraine used HEInnovate as a shared reflection and action-planning tool to strengthen their innovation capacity in a complex and rapidly changing environment. By combining self-assessment...
This guide serves as a resource for the HEInnovate User Journey Step 2: Engage and Step 3: Plan. It provides practical guidance on how to design, organise and facilitate workshops that support collective reflection on HEInnovate self-assessment results and the development of concrete action plans. The guide explains how to run workshops focused on...
A SWOT (Strengths – Weaknesses – Opportunities – Threats) analysis helps institutions reflect on their current position and identify strategic priorities for strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship. By examining internal strengths and weaknesses together with external opportunities and threats, higher education institutions can develop a...
This case study presents Your Online Side Hustle International (YOSHI), an (extra)curricular entrepreneurship programme developed by Saxion University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with its European partners within the E³UDRES² alliance —USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, JAMK University of Applied Sciences. YOSHI supports...
by Tornike Bakakuri Abstract: Alte University used the HEInnovate self-assessment to identify strengths and gaps in Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The process, endorsed by university leadership and involving key stakeholders across the institution, highlighted fragmented activity despite clear strategic ambitions. In response, Alte University...
This short guide explains how to use the HEInnovate Action Planning Board and Work Package Planning Board to turn self-assessment insights into concrete institutional development plans. It introduces both templates, shows how to map activities and organise them into work packages, and provides practical steps for collaborative action planning and...
This structured template helps groups cluster related activities into Work Packages, assign responsible leaders or units, and set timeframes. It ensures activities are organised, coordinated, and ready for implementation. To be used after the Action Planning Board – Dimensions . For use during onsite workshops, print in A1 format.
A visual tool to define your institution’s main objective in a chosen HEInnovate dimension and map potential activities into short-, medium-, and long-term actions. It helps transform ideas from the Action Cards into concrete steps. For use during onsite workshops, print in A1 format.
You can use the action sheet to capture the actions agreed on by participants during the workshops.
These cards will help you translate your self-assessment results into actionable programmes. You can download the cards and explore your entrepreneurial profile.
The University of Bayreuth pursues a clear regional transfer strategy: it sees itself as an innovation driver for the Upper Franconia region and is establishing a highly networked innovation ecosystem between the university, companies, research institutions, and societal stakeholders. The focus is on the transfer of knowledge, ideas, and technology...