By Cara Knott and Georgeta Auktor, TUM International GmbH
Over the past year, the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) journey within the Accelerate Future HEI project has made meaningful strides, both in maturity and in creating a shared understanding of impact across our partner institutions.
In September 2024, we held our second virtual Impact Workshop. Testing partners were just beginning to grapple with the structure and ambition of their Institutional Transformation Acceleration Projects (ITAPs). Feedback revealed a mixture of optimism and uncertainty. While many institutions appreciated the ITAP as a strategic tool, there was still a sense of hesitation around implementation. The M&E framework, while seen as promising, was sometimes described as “too extensive” or “quite complicated.”
Fast forward to July 2025, and the progress is undeniable.
The latest feedback shows a noticeable shift in confidence. Many institutions now describe their ITAPs as “useful,” “well-aligned with institutional strategy,” and a “living document.” Several rate their happiness with their ITAPs as 8/10 or higher, a substantial leap forward. Institutions are no longer just defining their goals; they are living them.
Similarly, the M&E tool has evolved from being seen as a “big machine” to being viewed as a “very good tool” that is “practical to create and follow up indicators.” Yes, it still poses challenges, particularly in aligning KPIs across diverse institutional structures, but there’s a growing recognition of its value. Institutions report learning more about themselves through the process, with many calling it a “great tool” that just “takes time to get right.”
A contributor to this growth has been the collaborative work with our Board of Experts, established in late 2024. This group of distinguished professionals has played a pivotal role in reviewing institutional progress, offering strategic feedback, and helping refine the way M&E is approached. Their involvement has elevated the discussion around impact, transforming the process.
This past year has demonstrated that the M&E process, though complex, is a powerful driver of clarity, direction, and institutional reflection. As one partner summed it up: “Happy 🙂 Great opportunities for everyone.”
As we continue this journey together, we are excited to deepen the culture of evaluation and entrepreneurial transformation within European HEIs, one aligned ITAP and one measurable indicator at a time. Stay tuned for more stories from the field as we move toward our collective impact goals.
