Activities

Areas of Activity

OUR ACTIVITIES PEEP expertise lies in the three related fields of education and skills, research and innovation and local and regional development, as well as in the sourcing, promotion and management of EU development funds to aid innovation and transition in these domains.

Education and Skills


PEEP operates in partnership with a range of actors involved in delivering education, training and skills development, helping to deliver change and innovation in policy and practice through providing research, analysis, development, evaluation and support services to broad range of (national and international) projects and initiatives. Recent activities include the development of an online course for entrepreneurship educators, co-editing the Handbook on the Entrepreneurial University and leadership of the YouthStart policy experimentation project on entrepreneurship education in schools.

Research and Innovation

PEEP works with all actors of the quadruple helix – Higher Education Institutions, Industry, Government and Civil Society – to foster new ideas, apply and absorb knowledge, build stronger connections and design better policies. In particular, PEEP focuses on how proximity leads to innovation, such as in clusters, industrial districts, science parks and local communities. Recent activities include helping to develop the Regional Innovation Impact Assessment framework and experimenting with new forms of entrepreneurial discovery that strengthen smart specialisation strategies.

Local and Regional Development

PEEP develops the capabilities of people and institutions working to enable localities and regions to thrive and prosper in a global setting. Capabilities are developed through education, enterprise and innovation projects, working with key local actors. PEEP helps to test and implement national and European policy initiatives, at local and regional levels, ensuring that no place is left behind. Recent activities include the design and delivery of a peer learning workshop for Higher Education Institutions and Regional Authorities responsible for smart specialisation, and the scoping of potential support services for Centres of Vocational Excellence.