THE JOINT INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION POLICY AISBL

Their core work

JIIP is a Brussels-based research and advisory institute specializing in innovation policy analysis and evaluation for the European Commission. They assess the socio-economic impact of EU-funded research programmes, develop policy recommendations for rural development, and study how universities and industry can better transfer knowledge. Their work bridges the gap between research output measurement and policy design, helping decision-makers understand what works and why.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

JIIP's early H2020 work (2016-2019) centred on broad innovation system themes — science diplomacy, cultural leadership, and improving university-industry interfaces. From 2019 onward, their focus became more applied and sector-specific, moving into rural policy development with text mining tools and rigorous impact assessment of EU climate and environment research portfolios. This shift suggests a transition from studying innovation systems in the abstract to measuring and shaping policy outcomes in concrete domains like agriculture and environment.

JIIP is moving toward applied policy evaluation in environment and agriculture, making them a strong partner for projects that need evidence-based impact analysis or policy co-design components.

How they like to work

JIIP has never coordinated an H2020 project — they consistently participate as a specialist partner, contributing policy expertise within larger consortia. With 68 unique partners across 22 countries in just 4 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia rather than tight recurring teams. This makes them an accessible and experienced consortium partner who integrates well into broad European collaborations without demanding a leadership role.

Despite only 4 projects, JIIP has built a remarkably wide network of 68 partners across 22 countries, reflecting their participation in large pan-European policy consortia. Their Brussels base and policy focus give them connections across most EU member states.

What sets them apart

JIIP sits at the intersection of research evaluation and policy advice — they don't just study innovation, they assess whether EU-funded programmes actually deliver results. Their Brussels location and AISBL legal form (international non-profit) make them a natural bridge between EU institutions and research communities. For consortium builders, they bring credibility in impact assessment and policy design without competing for the technical research space.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EL-CSID
  Largest single grant (EUR 237,500) and a distinctive topic — science and innovation diplomacy — rare in the H2020 landscape.
• IMPACT-SC5
  Meta-level project that assessed the impact of other EU-funded projects in climate and environment, demonstrating JIIP's evaluator role.
• PoliRural
  Applied text mining to rural policy development, showing JIIP's move toward data-driven and sector-specific policy tools.