Design of the Master Programme in Business Excellence

The EIT Digital 2025 Activities Grant invites universities to partner in developing a Master’s programme focused on Business Excellence aimed at addressing the strategic need for digital transformation in Europe. This initiative seeks strong and motivated academic partners to design the curriculum, integrating academic rigor in business, technology, and innovation with hands-on entrepreneurial challenges. The deadline for proposals is August 14, 2025, with submissions due by 5 PM CEST.

The total funding available is €100,000. The application process is a single-stage open call, with the project expected to span from October to December 2025. This collaborative effort emphasizes mobility across European institutions and an integration of EIT Digital’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship framework.

Potential applicants must register and submit their proposals via the EIT Digital submission platform. The proposal process includes a provision for EIT Digital to open a second submission if initial proposals do not meet quality standards. Further details regarding the application requirements and evaluation criteria can be found in specific annexes of the call document.

An online information session is scheduled for June 25, 2025, to address questions and provide guidance. It is advised that interested universities regularly check the EIT Digital website for updates and potential changes to the call requirements. The overall aim is to create a comprehensive educational programme that equips students with necessary skills to foster innovation and enhance business practices in a digital landscape.

The EIT Digital 2025 Activities Grant is a call for proposals seeking strong and motivated university partners to help develop a Master’s programme focused on Business Excellence. The programme aims to address Europe’s strategic need for digital transformation by combining academic excellence in business, technology, and innovation, entrepreneurial learning rooted in real-world industry challenges, mobility across European institutions, and deep integration of EIT Digital’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) framework. EIT Digital is looking for partners to build a portfolio of design for the Master Programme in Business Excellence between October and December 2025.

The opening date for submissions was 16 June 2025, and the deadline for submission is 14 August 2025 at 17:00 (5 pm) CEST (Brussels time). The deadline model is single-stage. The total funding available is 100,000.00 €. The project acronym is EIT Digital2025. The full name of the EU funded project is EIT Digital 2025 Activities. The grant agreement number is 101217488. The topic is HORIZON-EIT-2024-MOC-IBA - 2025 Activities.

All proposals must be filled and submitted through the official EIT Digital submission platform: https://workspaces.eitdigital.eu/site/private/go/article.aspx?id=568. To submit an application, registration on the intranet is required, along with completion of company information as if becoming an official partner. This step does not formalize the partnership or involve any fees at this stage. Formalization of the partnership, including any fee requirements, will only occur if the proposal is selected.

Proposals must be formally submitted via the EIT Digital submission platform before the deadline. If the quality of proposals is insufficient based on the evaluation criteria in Annex C, EIT Digital reserves the right to open a second submission to collect and assess new Education Activity proposals. The detailed process, including requirements, criteria, and evaluation methodology for Deep Tech Education Activity proposals, is presented in Annex B and Annex C.

For inquiries or clarification requests, contact the EIT Digital Team at proposal_support@eitdigital.eu. A list of FAQs is available on the webpage where the call is published. The call is subject to potential refinement and amendments based on forthcoming directives towards EIT Digital. Applicants should routinely monitor the call pages on the EIT Digital website for updates. Changes to the Call Document will be highlighted in red and published at the top of the website.

Further information about the call can be found at https://www.eitdigital.eu/design-of-the-master-programme-in-business-excellence/. An online info session will be held on 25 June 2025, from 13:00 to 14:00 CEST. Registration for the session is available via a provided link.

In summary, this opportunity is a call for university partners to collaborate with EIT Digital in designing a Master's programme focused on Business Excellence. The programme aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to drive digital transformation in Europe. The call provides 100,000 EUR in funding and involves a single-stage submission process with a deadline of August 14, 2025. Interested universities must register on the EIT Digital platform and submit their proposals according to the guidelines provided in the call documents. The selection process will be based on the evaluation criteria outlined in Annex C, and EIT Digital may open a second submission round if the initial proposals are deemed insufficient. The program seeks to integrate academic rigor with practical entrepreneurial experience, fostering mobility and innovation across European institutions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant type for this opportunity is universities. The call specifically seeks "strong and motivated university partners."

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specified as "GrantCascade funding" and "Activities Grant agreement."

Consortium Requirement: While not explicitly stated, the emphasis on "partners" and the development of a Master's programme suggests that a consortium of multiple universities is preferred, although single university applications might be considered.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is likely within the EU, given that it is an EIT Digital initiative focused on addressing Europe's strategic need for digital transformation. The mention of mobility across European institutions further supports this.

Target Sector: The target sector is education, specifically in the area of Business Excellence with a focus on digital transformation. This includes aspects of business, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. The program aims to integrate EIT Digital’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) framework.

Mentioned Countries: No specific countries are mentioned, but the focus is on "European institutions," implying that the opportunity is targeted at institutions within Europe.

Project Stage: The project stage is development, specifically the design phase of a Master's programme. The call is for partners to "build a portfolio of design of the Master Programme in Business excellence programme."

Funding Amount: The total funding available is €100,000.00.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, as indicated by the phrase "Open For Submission." It is a single-stage application process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, as indicated by "Deadline model single-stage."

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding is not explicitly mentioned, but it is not ruled out.

Summary:

This opportunity is a call from EIT Digital seeking university partners to design a Master's programme in Business Excellence. The programme aims to address Europe's need for digital transformation by combining academic excellence in business, technology, and innovation with entrepreneurial learning and mobility across European institutions. The selected partners will build a design portfolio for the programme between October and December 2025. The total funding available for this design phase is €100,000. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of August 14, 2025. Interested universities must register on the EIT Digital submission platform and complete their company information to submit a proposal. An online info session is scheduled for June 25, 2025, to provide further details and answer questions. The call is subject to potential refinements and amendments, so applicants should regularly monitor the EIT Digital website for updates. The core of the Master's program will be the combination of Academic excellence in business, technology, and innovation, Entrepreneurial learning rooted in real-world industry challenges, Mobility across European institutions and Deep integration of EIT Digital’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) framework. The topic of the call is HORIZON-EIT-2024-MOC-IBA - 2025 Activities.