The EIT today launches a Call for expressions of interest for the selection of new members of the EIT Governing Board
The EIT Governing Board is entrusted with providing the strategic leadership of the EIT. The board is independent and autonomous in its decision-making and is responsible for the selection, designation and evaluation of the EIT’s Innovation Communities.
Innovation Communities are a unique type of partnership within European innovation. Innovation Communities develop innovative products and services, foster new businesses, encourage growth and train a new generation of entrepreneurs. They address focused innovation topics and integrate public and private research organisations, innovative industries, higher education institutions, investors, start-ups and spin-offs into networks that combine the diverse competencies needed to make innovation happen.
The EIT now has six Innovation Communities: EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Digital, EIT Food, EIT Health, EIT InnoEnergy and EIT Raw Materials. A new Call for Innovation Communities was launched in January 2018 to designate EIT Urban Mobility and EIT Manufacturing.
The EIT Community is Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem, with 40 innovation hubs that bring together over 1000 partners, more than half of whom come from business, both large corporates and a very strong SME participation rate of 25%. With our support, more than 800 start-ups and scale-ups have been nurtured with over 6100 highly skilled jobs created. Each job created by the EIT Community has supported the creation of an additional 14 jobs in the wider economy. Venture capitalists have invested more than EUR 600 million in companies supported by EIT Community accelerators. By doing so, they have expressed strong confidence in the innovative solutions and talented entrepreneurs supported by the EIT Community.
About the Steering Committee
A steering committee will be in charge of identifying a list of potential candidates that will replace one out the four current members whose term of office is coming to an end on 30 June 2018 and one member of the EIT Governing Board who recently resigned. The list of proposed candidates approved by the EIT Governing Board will be submitted to the European Commission for their nomination in the second half of 2018.
The recently set up Steering Committee consists of EIT Governing Board members Bjorn Nilsson (Chairperson), Elpida Keravnou- Papailiou and Péter Lakatos, professionals of the highest competence, providing a balance of expertise and backgrounds.
The Steering Committee will guarantee the independence, legitimacy and credibility of the selection process. The Steering Committee also consists of one observer from the European Commission.
More information on the background of the Steering Committee Members can be found HERE.
More information on the Appointment of the Steering Committee can be found HERE.
Application Process
The Board consists of 12 members appointed by the European Commission with a view to providing a balanced representation of members with experience in business, higher education, and research.
The selection process for the identification of new appointed EIT Governing Board members is now starting with a call for expressions of interest. Following this, the Steering Committee will prepare a shortlist of individuals to be proposed as members of the EIT Governing Board. The Governing Board will transmit the shortlist to the European Commission for the formal appointment of the new EIT Governing Board members.
The new members of the Governing Board will be nominated by a European Commission Decision expected in the second half of 2018. In its appointments, the European Commission prioritises a balance between higher education, research, innovation and business environments across the EU as well as a gender and geographical balance to ensure a fair representation of all areas of the EU.
The EIT encourages candidatures from Member States currently not represented in the EIT Governing Board, in particular from Central and Eastern European EU Member States.
More information on the selection process can be found HERE.
Application Deadline 14 May 2018
Article Source: https://eit.europa.eu/newsroom/call-expressions-interest-eit-governing-board-2018
