At the midpoint of our ambitious four-year journey, the picturesque island of Tenerife provided the perfect setting to celebrate the achievements of Accelerate Future HEI, explore new training and services, and refine the art of storytelling to showcase our transformation journeys. Beyond insightful discussions and knowledge exchange, we had the privilege of immersing ourselves in the local innovation ecosystem—making for an inspiring, productive, and enjoyable experience.
Led by UIIN, the Accelerate Future HEI project unites 12 partners from eleven countries, all working towards one goal: fostering more entrepreneurial and innovative universities. Through acceleration services such as training, coaching, and institutional transformation initiatives, the project is shaping the future of higher education.
Day 1: Reflections, Innovation, and Impactful Storytelling
Our first day was packed with valuable discussions and interactive sessions:
🔹 Project leaders, UIIN reflected on the progress made so far and outlined the next steps for acceleration services, capacity building, and knowledge exchange.
🔹 Partners showcased their Institutional Transformation Acceleration Projects (ITAPs), revealing how their initiatives are already yielding impressive results.
🔹 The Ideas Market brought partners together to identify gaps, address common challenges, and co-develop innovative solutions to further enhance acceleration services.
🔹 Impact Capturing and Storytelling sessions, led by TUM International GmbH and Momentum Educate + Innovate, helped participants refine their approach to:
- Measuring and evaluating impact effectively
- Crafting compelling narratives to communicate transformation success stories. Each partner will create a video of their successes by the end of year four.
Day 2: Exploring Tenerife’s Innovation and Entrepreneurial Landscape
The second day took us beyond the conference room and into Tenerife’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
🔹 In Santa Cruz, we connected with inspiring local stakeholders and learned from their expertise. A highlight was an engaging presentation by CEOE Tenerife, where we gained insight into their close collaboration with UEC.
🔹 Dr. Julia Ayuso, Director of the EU School of Sustainability at Universidad Europea, shared valuable expertise on integrating sustainable practices into entrepreneurial strategies.
🔹 Innovation took centre stage at COACTFE Arquitectos Tenerife and the Colegio de Enfermería de Tenerife, where we explored groundbreaking initiatives shaping the future of their respective industries.
🔹 A post-lunch session brought us face-to-face with entrepreneurial professors, who shared how they are turning their ventures into real-world impact.
🔹 Before concluding the day, we took a well-earned break, soaking in the sunset on the beach after two days of insightful discussions and learning.
The Accelerate Future HEI consortium extends sincere gratitude to the wonderful team at Universidad Europea de Canarias for their warm hospitality and seamless organization of both the formal agenda and social activities. Special thanks to Juan Diego López-Arquillo, Cristiana Oliveira, Cosmin Bolea, and Vivian Garcia-Rice—your dedication made this experience truly unforgettable. With two more years to go, we are more inspired than ever to continue driving transformation in higher education institutions and shaping a more innovative and entrepreneurial academic landscape.
