Award recognizes campaign that redefined how universities demonstrate real-world impact—and sparked a global movement for institutional transformation.
NEW YORK, June 13, 2025 -- The TLFT 2025 Thought Leadership Industry Catalyst Award has been awarded to Elsevier and the Technical University of Eindhoven (TU/e) for their groundbreaking work on the 4th Generation University framework—a campaign that redefined how universities measure and communicate their societal value.
Elsevier and TU/e Win TLFT 2025 Thought Leadership Industry Catalyst Award
The award, presented at the annual Thought Leadership for Tomorrow (TLFT) event, honors campaigns that do more than just inform an industry—they shift its entire direction. This year, judges recognized the 4th Generation University campaign for setting a new standard in how institutions evaluate their real-world impact, engage stakeholders, and influence investment and policy at a global level.
"What made Elsevier and TU/e's campaign stand out was its boldness and timing. The 4th Generation University framework isn't just thought leadership—it's a blueprint for institutional transformation," said Brittany Williams, VP of Editorial & Content Creation at iResearch Services, the founding organization behind the TLFT Awards.
"It addresses a deep need in higher education: to measure what really matters, and to tell a story that resonates with governments, funders, and the public. That's the kind of systemic impact we launched the TLFT Awards to celebrate."
Why It Won
The campaign was selected as the 2025 Industry Catalyst because it:
- Elevated a global issue: Academic leaders worldwide have cited the inability to demonstrate societal impact as a major existential risk. This campaign met that moment head-on, offering a data-driven, regionally grounded solution.
- Created new tools and language: The 4th Generation University framework introduced an entirely new evaluation model—centered on Talent, Research, Valorization, and Governance—that enables universities to articulate their real-world contributions in ways that matter to policymakers and communities.
- Sparked action and alignment: Within months of launching the report in April 2024, 12 universities signed on as founding partners. The campaign led to the creation of 4thgenuniversity.com, a growing global community of institutions aligned around the new framework.
Impact Highlights
- Alumni retention: At TU/e, 46.7% of alumni remain within 75 km of the university, demonstrating regional talent flow and long-term socioeconomic impact.
- Policy relevance: The framework aligns with national and regional innovation priorities, incorporating patent data, LinkedIn alumni analysis, KET mapping, and geospatial visualizations.
- Sector-wide momentum: The campaign has been showcased at 10+ global events, in over 100 high-level meetings, and attracted more than 50 new requests to join the 4th Generation University community.
About the TLFT Awards
The Thought Leadership for Tomorrow Awards recognize organizations and individuals using original thinking to inspire, innovate, and ignite change. The Industry Catalyst Award is given annually to a campaign that has sparked significant influence across an industry or sector, reshaping how others think and act on urgent challenges.
About Elsevier
Elsevier is a global leader in information analytics, partnering with research and academic institutions to advance science and improve societal outcomes. Through innovative frameworks, analytics, and collaboration, Elsevier supports partners in making evidence-based decisions that benefit communities around the world.
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