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
The Hague University of Applied Sciences with approximately 24 000 students from more than 146 nationalities is a using a hands-on research centre to drive education practice. The team delivering entrepreneurship at The Hague University of Applied Sciences is diverse with breadth and depth of experience that extends significantly beyond...
The core mission of the Technical University of Delft is to develop scientists and engineers, who have a genuine commitment to society, who can translate knowledge into technological innovations with both economic and social value. The City of Delft wants professionals, and new companies, to come and make their home in and around Delft. As the...
This case study shows how two of Ireland’s higher education institutions, the University of Limerick and Limerick Institute of Technology have come together at the most senior leadership and governance levels to address issues of regional development and the sharing of services between the institutions.
This case study shows how one of Ireland’s 14 Institutes of Technology, the Institute of Technology, Tallaght, which brands itself ITT Dublin (ITTD), has established itself as a highly performing institution in respect of knowledge exchange and collaboration with internal staff and students and external commercial and non-commercial stakeholders.
The Rovira i Virgili University (URV) was founded in 1992. It is a public university serving southern Catalonia, a region with 800,000 inhabitants. The university was founded by the Catalan Parliament to unite existing higher education faculties and schools in the Tarragona area under a joint institutional umbrella. In 2015, URV had an annual...
In 2011, the Genome Canada’s Entrepreneurship Education in Genomics (EEG) pilot programme was set up for a three-year period. The programme provides funding for genomics researchers across Canada to educate the community with respect to creating and adding value to their research and to translate research discoveries into marketable applications...
Milan Polytechnic University (Polimi) is the largest Italian technical university. Its primary purpose is to provide students with solid technical competences. Recent studies on student entrepreneurship at Polimi have shown that the technical competences of Polimi alumni frequently generate new business ideas that often lead to start-ups. Thus, the...
University of Aveiro (UA) is a young innovative university that was founded in 1973 and soon after assumed the leadership in the teaching/learning and research in technical areas. The focus is on science and technology, particularly applied research that lends itself to technology transfer into the region. The university’s strap line is "Um Campus...
Lund University (LU) is located close to a science park in a region with numerous incubators and start-ups in a rather densely populated area. The University uses its strategic location as a source of competitive advantage by strongly collaborating with local established companies, start-ups, student organisations, support services and incubators...
Resource paper prepared by Ben Jongbloed (CHEPS, University of Twente) Introduction The University of Twente (UT), based in the east of the Netherlands, was established in the year of 1961. It is a medium-sized university with a strong engineering core, next to a social sciences base. The UT is very much known for its entrepreneurial character...
Aalborg University has since its establishment invested heavily in creating strong linkages with local industry and with other institutions and actors in the innovation system. A particular innovative feature of entrepreneurship at Aalborg University is the emphasis on interdisciplinarity and creative problem solving in its teaching and learning...
Resource paper prepared by Ben Jongbloed (CHEPS, University of Twente) Introduction The University of Twente (UT), based in the east of the Netherlands, was established in the year 1961. It is a medium-sized university with a strong engineering core, next to a social sciences base. The UT is very much known for its entrepreneurial character and a...
Resource paper prepared by Ben Jongbloed (CHEPS, University of Twente) Introduction As part of our case study of the University of Twente (UT), this document focuses on the facilities and instruments in place to support the entrepreneurial potential of the university. The University of Twente is based in the region of Twente, in the east of the...
The Autonomous University of Barcelona (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB), founded in 1968, is one of seven higher education institutions located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona. It is centred in the heart of Catalonia, one of Spain’s most dynamic and entrepreneurial regions. UAB is one of the top three universities in Spain. It is a...
The Rovira i Virgili University (URV) was founded in 1992. It is a public university serving southern Catalonia, a region with 800,000 inhabitants. The university was founded by the Catalan Parliament to unite existing higher education faculties and schools in the Tarragona area under a joint institutional umbrella. URV is accountable to the...