Passing the Torch: BI4E’s Legacy and INGENIUM’s Future

At the start of September, the University of Oviedo hosted the closing event of Boosting INGENIUM for Excellence, marking the conclusion of a project that, over three years, has played a decisive role in shaping the INGENIUM European University.

Funded by the Horizon Europe programme in 2022, BI4E was designed to strengthen institutional capacities, foster collaboration, and accelerate excellence across its eight partner universities. In doing so, it not only achieved its objectives but also provided the crucial impetus that helped secure the European Commission’s approval of the INGENIUM European University Initiative just months after its launch.

A Celebration of Achievements

The event began with welcoming remarks by Prof Irina Lungu, BI4E Project Coordinator (Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași), and Prof Jesús Daniel Santos, Rector’s Delegate for Alliances at the University of Oviedo, followed by a presentation of BI4E’s results.

Three thematic panels allowed participants to reflect on BI4E’s impact:

Panel 1: “The BI4E Research Experience: Excellence, Integrity and New Synergies” focused on how the project advanced research excellence, promoted collaboration between widening and non-widening partners, and generated new institutional and cross-border synergies. Representatives from partner universities highlighted both achievements and the challenges that shaped the project’s implementation.
Panel 2: “Handing Over BI4E’s Success: Embedding Project Results and BI4E’s Strategic Advisory Council in the INGENIUM European University” examined how BI4E outcomes are being systematically integrated into INGENIUM’s governance. Discussions centred on institutional alignment, shared governance models, and the involvement of associated partners in the alliance’s activities.
Panel 3: “From BI4E to the World: Empowering Entrepreneurship and Scaling Innovation through Technology Transfer and Service Catalogues” considered how BI4E has strengthened innovation ecosystems and how its results will support entrepreneurship and the commercialisation of research within INGENIUM. This panel paved the way for the symbolic signing of the Memorandum of Understanding establishing the INGENIUM Network of Technology Transfer Offices.

The academic discussions were complemented by an INGENIUM Strategic Meeting on institutional implementation and collaboration with external partners, and by moments of cultural exchange.

Symbolic Signing of the INGENIUM Network of Technology Transfer Offices

A highlight of the programme was the symbolic signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the INGENIUM Network of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs).

The MoU establishes a framework for sustained collaboration in knowledge transfer and innovation. Its objectives include:

exchanging best practices in technology transfer and intellectual property management,
promoting joint research commercialisation initiatives,
supporting entrepreneurship and start-up development,
enhancing professional training opportunities for TTO staff, and
developing joint funding proposals for collaborative innovation projects.

The governance model foresees a rotating chairmanship, a Steering Committee composed of representatives from member institutions, and the creation of thematic working groups. With this structure, the INGENIUM TTO Network is expected to play a pivotal role in scaling research outcomes into innovation and in strengthening the alliance’s engagement with industry

Integrating BI4E Structures into INGENIUM

Another significant outcome of the event was the confirmation of the Strategic Advisory Council’s integration into the future European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), the legal entity currently being developed for INGENIUM. The EGTC statutes already foresee the Council as a permanent advisory body, ensuring structured engagement with industry, regional stakeholders, and other societal partners.

This integration is crucial for INGENIUM’s long-term sustainability. By embedding the SAC into the alliance’s legal framework, INGENIUM guarantees a mechanism for external input into its strategy, consolidates its ties with regional ecosystems, and strengthens accountability towards societal needs. The move also ensures that the expertise gathered during BI4E will continue to guide INGENIUM’s evolution, particularly in areas such as innovation, entrepreneurship, and open science.

The event concluded with joint and separate meetings of the BI4E Steering Committee and Strategic Advisory Council. These sessions reviewed the final months of the project, addressed the status of deliverables and reporting, and discussed how SAC members can further contribute to the INGENIUM EGTC. Topics included defining the Council’s profile, its role in the EGTC, and the frequency and modalities of future meetings. The wrap-up session underlined BI4E’s impact and set out concrete measures to ensure a smooth transition to INGENIUM structures.

A Lasting Legacy

The final event in Oviedo underscored the lasting contribution of BI4E to the European higher education landscape. Its results—ranging from strengthened governance and widening participation to innovation ecosystems and external partnerships—are now fully integrated within INGENIUM.

BI4E has formally concluded, but its vision will remain alive through the INGENIUM European University.