A public consultation on whether and how to create a European Institute of Technology (EIT) has been opened by the European Commission today. It will gather the views of stakeholders on how an ‘EIT’ could strengthen research, education and market innovation in Europe. The public consultation will run until mid-November, and will feed into a wider analysis by the European Commission services.
In its mid-term review of the Lisbon Strategy, the Commission indicated that it would explore the idea of a European Institute of Technology. An EIT could strengthen Europes knowledge-triangle of research, education and technology transfer providing critical mass and a world-class model for teaching and research, facilitating partnerships between the academic and business worlds and enhancing the profile of European research internationally.

Following intensive discussion between Commission departments and with external experts, the Commission has published a consultation document and is now seeking input from the wider education, research and innovation communities about their ambitions on this issue. The public consultation concentrates on first-order issues the EITs key missions, objectives, added value and possible structure.

The purpose of this consultation is to gather the opinions of the various stakeholders involved, to inform the Commission on whether to take the idea further. The outcome of this consultation will be published as a report on this website in early 2006.