CIRCLE – Circular Innovation and Resilience through Challenge-based Learning and Entrepreneurship in the Young Innovators Education Programme

Circular Innovation and Resilience through Challenge-based Learning and Entrepreneurship in the Young Innovators Education Programme

The CIRCLE project stems from the success of the 2022 application for the ‘Innovative Circular Economy Specialization for the Young Innovators Program’ (ICEY), which developed a hands-on, practical methodology to teach students how to contribute to systemic change towards a circular economy. The motivation for CIRCLE arose from the insights gained during the ICEY project, specifically the need to equip students with tangible resources and tools for circularity and entrepreneurship. CIRCLE aims to explore real-world practices of circular innovation, delve into existing circular roles and professions, and teach responsible consumption and production. Led by Stichting Techno Trend, CIRCLE is being implemented by a multidisciplinary team of six partnering institutions from five European countries where the project will be implemented: Hungary, Latvia, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and Malta.

Key Objectives:

• Refining and Expanding the Methodology: The project seeks to strengthen and enhance the methodology for teaching circularity and entrepreneurial skills to school students, transforming it into a comprehensive and versatile specialisation.
• Highlighting Green Entrepreneurial Skills: The importance of green entrepreneurial competencies is emphasised, aiming to empower students and future professionals to incorporate circular practices into mainstream society. This includes emphasising key entrepreneurial skills from the EntreComp framework, such as Ethical and Sustainable Thinking, Spotting Opportunities, and Learning Through Experience. Students will also be educated on innovative business models, including resource leasing, waste-stream reuse, and product redesign to reduce waste.
• Embedding and Expanding the Specialisation: The initiative aims to integrate and extend this specialisation within the YI programme, broadening its reach across four countries. Building on the methodology developed and tested during ICEY, the collaboration partnership seeks to deepen and expand the approach across all partner countries for a greater impact.
• Building a Circularity Ecosystem: The project focuses on establishing a robust network of stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and educational institutions, all addressing sustainability and circularity challenges. The goal is to create an ecosystem where entrepreneurs, using the developed methodology, can share knowledge and experiences about circularity. This ecosystem will provide role models for students, foster connections between entrepreneurs and students, and offer insights into career opportunities within the circularity sector, new labour market positions, and citizen engagement.

Expected Results:

1. A Specialisation in Circular Economy and Entrepreneurship: The project aims to create a specialisation that enhances the understanding of high-school students on Circular Economy from a systems-thinking perspective, while also building their core competencies in circular entrepreneurship.
2. Building a Circularity Ecosystem: The project will establish a sustainable cooperation network between educators, stakeholders, and entrepreneurs, focused on circularity practices in each country.
3. Implementation and Scale-up of the Renewed Specialisation: The initiative seeks to successfully implement and scale-up the refined specialisation, expanding its impact and reach across multiple countries.

This project is a significant step towards embedding Circular Economy education within the upper secondary education system, fostering future leaders who are well-equipped to contribute to a more sustainable and circular world.