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.

Guidance notes

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.

Country reviews

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.

Case Studies

You can view and download case studies that showcase different institutional approaches and good practices along the eight dimensions of HEInnovate.

User Stories

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.

Training manual

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.

Workshop guides

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.

Action cards

Concise cards summarising practical actions aligned with each HEInnovate dimension. Use them to spark discussions and identify priorities.

Planning templates

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

  • Guidance notes

Being entrepreneurial and innovation driven applies both to the organisation as a whole and to its constituting individuals. Organisational culture and values can tie the organisation and the individual together. For a broad acceptance of entrepreneurship and innovation from top management, senior levels of the institution to all other stakeholders...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
19 Sep 2015
Country:
Denmark

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...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
19 Sep 2015
Country:
Netherlands

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...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
19 Sep 2015
Country:
Netherlands

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...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
19 Sep 2015
Country:
Spain

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...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
19 Sep 2015
Country:
Spain

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...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
19 Sep 2015
Country:
Spain

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...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
Denmark

1. Introduction Aalborg University (AAU) was founded in 1974 from a merger of several well-established higher education institutions with roots going back to the late 18th century. With just 3,000 students enrolled initially, AAU grew to approximately 20,000 students. Students can choose from more than 100 study programmes, at bachelor, master and...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
Denmark

Aalborg University (AAU) was founded in 1974 from a merger of several well-established higher education institutions with roots going back to the late 18th century. From initially 3 000 students, AAU grew to approximately 16 000 students, who can choose from more than hundred study programmes, at bachelor, master and doctorate levels, and three...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
Spain

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.The location of the university in the heart of Catalonia is a significant advantage as it is one of Spain’s most dynamic and entrepreneurial regions. In 2012...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
France

This case provides insight into how one university has embedded real business experience into the heart of both their degree programme and the local community, through the creation of a separate trading identity run by students. The Allier University-Institute of Technology (I.U.T. d'Allier), was established in 1968. It has three campuses in the...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
Spain

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...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
United Kingdom

Entrepreneurship education (EE) at the University of Huddersfield (UoH) combines strong profiles in curricula offers, extra-curricular activities and organisational setup. The UoH is one of a few UK universities to offer new venture creation degrees: the UoH’s Business School offers bachelor, masters, and doctoral degrees involving to start an...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
Denmark

The University of Southern Denmark (SDU) uses a centralised approach to spread and integrate entrepreneurship education (EE) across its six campuses and its five faculties. SDU’s EE is primarily based on a comprehensive and broad understanding of entrepreneurship in the sense of innovation and value creation. The SDU-annexed IDEA Entrepreneurship...

  • Case studies
Submitted on:
18 Sep 2015
Country:
Germany

This case shows how the creation of a new centre can be used as a focus for knowledge exchange, innovation and enterprise and be successfully integrated into the working of an established University. The Munich University of Applied Sciences (MUAS) was founded in 1971. It hosts 18 000 students, 475 professors, 750 contracted lecturers and 745...