The Foundation for Research & Technology-Hellas hosted, in Heraklion, the 77^th meeting of the EIT Board of Directors, which took place for the first time in Greece, on June 21 and 22 2023, under the Presidency of Prof. Nektarios Tavernarakis, President of FORTH. Prof. Tavernarakis is the first Greek to chair the EIT from July 2022, after his selection by the European Commission (EU), through a highly competitive evaluation process at pan-European level.

The EIT is an initiative of the European Commission, an independent body of the European Union, with the aim of strengthening innovation in Europe. The main priority of the Institute is the interconnection and cooperation of businesses, academics and research institutions (Knowledge Triangle), to create an environment that fosters innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe. Under the European Commission's Horizon Europe framework programme, the EIT manages resources of more than €2.9 billion.

The Board of Directors is the highest governing body of the EIT, composed of 15 members, leading academics, researchers and exprerts from the business world, who enjoy international recognition and are distinguished for their experience in the fields of technology and innovation. Its main mission is to draw up the EIT strategy and to select, support and evaluate the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). To date, 9 KICs have been created, focusing on specific global challenges related to climate change, culture, digital technologies, the future of food, healthy living and active ageing, sustainable energy, European manufacturing industry, raw materials, smart-ecological urban mobility.