Higher Education Institutions are key in supporting regions and countries in achieving the objectives of their Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3).

The Higher Education for Smart Specialisation (HESS), developed by the European Commission in 2016, helps to increase the debate and understand the role of HEIs in designing and implementing S3.

This initiative, run by DG EAC and the JRC, provides advice for more effective spending of the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), through a number of case studies (on 9 EU Regions and 2 Countries), practical instruments like the handbook for regional authorities and a number of workshops and webinars.

In the period 2021/22 the HESS project will develop and provide guidance on good practices in the use of European Structural and Investment Funds for the EIT-KICs, European University Alliances and Alliances for Innovation. It will also monitor the incorporation of the new specific objective on skills for smart specialisation in the design of 2021-2027 Operational Programmes and synergies with other EU funds and initiatives.