Today HE (Higher Educational) organizations have activities in education, R&D&I and other services but they are segmented with only few links between them. Therefore the full potential of the teachers, students and staff is not taken into use in all of these operations. The curricula have not allowed students to select and earn credits by working in R&D&I and other university services. There are no clear resourcing models to allow personnel to divide their time between teaching and R&D&I work. The present situation has reduced student and teacher involvement in R&D&I activities although in all the partner universities participation has existed to some extent. Universities could improve their competences in serving enterprises through R&D&I or other services. The EARN (European Automation Resource Network) project can be justified because it will allow the partner universities to share their know-how, experts, laboratories, equipment, learning materials and information about offered services in the field of automation. The results of the EARN project will be: - Students’ participation in R&D&I is increased and included in the curricula. - University teachers and staff have clear resourcing models and are more motivated to work in R&D&I and service activities. - Network environment for sharing resources, learning and competences among partner universities is built. - The network of European HEI partners is providing comprehensive laboratory equipment, know-how and services as a unified resource centre. - Innovation processes inside the HEI partner organizations are taken into use as part of the regional innovation chains. The project will share best practices among partners and, at a later stage, among other HEI universities in Europe. The EARN project will improve global competitiveness of European enterprises by the increased expertise of European engineers in automation technology.