Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) will host the annual international meeting of the E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators project from March 6-7, 2025. This gathering brings together six partner institutions to review progress, align strategies, and discuss the next steps in promoting research, innovation, and open science in higher education.
The E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators project is a collaborative initiative designed to enhance research capacity and foster innovation across its six founding partner universities, all members of the E³UDRES² European Universities Alliance. The project focuses on entrepreneurship, open science, innovation, and inclusive education, shaping future-oriented research strategies for European higher education institutions.
As the project enters its third and final year, this General Assembly serves as a key moment for partners to assess achievements, finalize strategies, and ensure the long-term sustainability of research initiatives within the alliance. Following a highly positive mid-term evaluation from the European Commission, most of the project’s goals have already been successfully completed, with the final phase focusing on defining strategic directions for research and innovation within the E³UDRES² framework.
Key Discussions & Strategic Priorities
During the two-day meeting, participants will discuss progress across the project's six Work Packages (WP), which cover:
- Research & Innovation Strategy (WP2 – STPUAS, Austria)
- Sharing Research Infrastructures (WP3 – MATE, Hungary)
- Open Science, Open Innovation, and Open Education (WP4 – UPT, Romania)
- Community Engagement & Citizen Involvement (WP5 – UCLL, Belgium)
- Human Resources & Research-Innovation Ecosystems (WP6 – ViA, Latvia)
- Project Management & Dissemination (WP1 – IPS, Portugal)
Each work package plays a critical role in ensuring that universities collaborate effectively, share knowledge, and develop innovative solutions that contribute to regional economic and social progress. The meeting will conclude with a technical review session, assessing the feasibility and impact of the solutions developed within the project.
International Workshop on Human Resources
Prior to the General Assembly, on March 5, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences also hosted an International Workshop on Human Resources. Organized in collaboration with E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators, the event focused on strengthening leadership and HR management skills in academia. Sessions included interactive discussions on professional growth and the role of leadership in driving innovation and excellence in higher education institutions.
About the E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators Project
The E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators project is a European initiative that brings together six universities to create a unified research and innovation strategy, aligned with the goals of the E³UDRES² Alliance. Funded by the European Commission and managed by the Research Executive Agency (REA) through the Horizon Europe program (HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-05), the project seeks to:
- Strengthen research and innovation capacity in higher education institutions
- Promote Open Science, Open Innovation, and Open Education across Europe
- Encourage cross-border collaboration through shared research infrastructures and best practices
- Create sustainable, long-term strategies for research and knowledge exchange
By integrating open-access research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and digital innovation, E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators plays a crucial role in positioning European universities as key drivers of regional development and knowledge exchange.
"Ent-r-e-novators connect entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers and innovators, so they are solution-oriented, curious and open-minded people who assume their social and societal responsibility and take the interests of the general public into account. They take a leading role in innovation of educational and research institutions and in their transformation towards open and integrative ecosystems. Inclusion and interdisciplinarity are the main pillars of the project," says Hannes Raffaseder, Managing Director of the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences and coordinator of E³UDRES² Alliance.
The Ent-r-e-novators project is funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon Europe program. E³UDRES² is co-financed by the European Union's ERASMUS+ program.
The project is funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program (Project No 101071317). For more information about the E³UDRES² Ent-r-e-novators project visit https://www.entrenovators.eu/.
