Press conference: Designation of the first Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs)

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will designate its first two or three Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) on December 16. A press conference will be taking place on December 17 from 11.15-11.45.

The news:

The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) will designate its first two or three Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) in the evening of 16 December 2009 in Budapest.

The event:

Thursday 17 December 11.15-11.45: Press conference in Brussels (Room S7, Berlaymont) via live, interactive video link from Budapest, Hungary, with Martin Schuurmans, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the EIT, and representatives of the winning KICs.

The background:

The selection of the Knowledge and Innovation Communities is the next crucial step towards a fully operational EIT. The EIT is a European flagship initiative which aims to foster innovation by bringing together higher education, research and business enterprise, thereby helping to make Europe a true knowledge economy and create sustainable growth and jobs.

The KICs are the autonomous operational base of the EIT. For the first time in Europe, top-class businesses, research centres and higher education institutions will be brought together to form highly integrated, excellence-driven partnerships, accumulating the necessary critical mass for excellence in innovation. People within a KIC will work together in co-location centres, generating a fertile breeding ground for innovative ideas and creating attractive and stimulating work environments for students, researchers and entrepreneurs.

The first call for KICs, launched on 2 April 2009, addresses three priority areas that are major societal challenges: climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable energy and the future information and communication society.

In total, 20 proposals were submitted across the three priority areas by the deadline of 27 August 2009. The proposals were evaluated by independent experts who put forward the top two proposals from each priority area. The EIT Governing Board will take the final decision following hearings with the six shortlisted candidates on 16 December in Budapest. Finally, two or three KICs will be designated based on the excellence of the proposals and partnerships.

The sources:

• European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT): http://eit.europa.eu
• Commissioner Ševčovič's web site: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/sefcovic/index_en.htm

For press accreditation:

Brussels

John R. Macdonald +32 2 295 52 67 John.Macdonald@ec.europa.eu

Sophie Andersson +32 2 295 02 08 Sophie.Andersson@ec.europa.eu

Budapest

Katalin Kovacs +36 1 2099710 kati.kovacs@ec.europa.eu