Results Index

  • Eco-friendly ICT-based training outcomes for adults 2019-1-BG01-KA204-062366

  • Eco-friendly ICT-based training outcomes for adults 2019-1-BG01-KA204-062366

  • Eco-friendly ICT-based training outcomes for adults 2019-1-BG01-KA204-062366

  • Learn about main features of subject area Bio-based & Circular economy
  • Learn about the main levels of study through the hyperlinked ‘pop-in’/’pop-out’ courses descriptions

 

 

 

BIO-BASED AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The approach to achieve economic growth through sustainability and environmental development is the core of the concept of circular economy. Circular economy emphasizes the utilization of by-products and recycling of materials applying different methods and using of nature's cycles for conserving materials, energy, and nutrients for economic prosperity. Within the context of sustainable development, circular economy focusses on the less utilization of resources to increase the efficiency of materials and energy use, to generate minimum waste, and to recycle and reuse of waste. The bio-based sector, as one of the largest producers and consumers of natural resources in Europe, has become a focal point in the context of the circular economy. Bio-based and circular economy is focused on economic aspects to enable the transition to a bio-based economy. These aspects are multifaceted and include resource management, policy approaches, closing of energy, water and nutrient cycles; bio-based business and sustainability analysis; risk management.

They are covered by the following main study areas:

Economics and policies approaches to life science:

Integrates economics and policy with the life sciences to face societal challenges of bio-based economy and develop innovative solutions for their management.

Value chain economics:

Presents an overview of the institutional framework in which the EU economy operates, the tendencies that are followed to ensure its functioning and performance, and the industrial policy for different economy sectors

Circular entrepreneurship:

Interdisciplinary by nature, it deals with the critical evaluation of sustainable solutions to design products, businesses and systems.

Bio-based and circular business:

Reveals the business and societal aspects of bio-based and circular economy with emphasis on strategic and multi-stakeholder management; management of circular cycles a new business development.

Natural resources economics & management:

Outlines the effective and sustainable use of natural (nonrenewable and renewable) resources, and the economic basis of different policy instruments applied for this purpose.

Sources, technologies and applications of renewable energy:

Presents the basics of harvesting sustainable energy sources as a key factor in solving environmental problems, the technical principles of renewable energy production, conversion, costs and environmental impacts.

Sustainability Analysis:

Explains the basic principles for systematic and quantitative evaluation of sustainability.

Production and Risk Management:

Offers information on production and risk management and how to adapt the general practices to different businesses, including attitudes towards risk and moral hazards.


The successful transition to bio-economy requires the development of sustainable utilization of renewable resources for the production of chemicals, fuels and materials. The circular economy approach to improve resource-use efficiency unifies cleaner production and industrial ecology in an integrated system encompassing key economy players to support resource optimization.

BIOBASED AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY - Learning Outcomes pool

 

Economics and policies approaches to life science

The course Economics and policies approaches to life science integrates economics and policy with the life sciences. It aims to equip trainees with a basic knowledge and practical skills of life science economics and policies. The course offers acquisition of knowledge and competencies to face societal challenges of bio-based economy like food safety, regulations, climate change, environmental deprivation, and the global demand for energy, food and raw materials. Information is provided about the recent trends in the life sciences, their benefits and challenges, as well as the associated with them guiding policies and public debate. The course presents as well development of innovative solutions for management of these issues through regulatory and policy frameworks. The course content presents information about the entire value chain from Research & Development, to application, processing, selling and final requests. It also discusses the ways the value chain, the rents and their distribution along this chain are influenced by policies.

Economics and policies approaches to life science

The course Economics and policies approaches to life science integrates economics and policy with the life sciences. It aims to equip trainees with a basic knowledge and practical skills of life science economics and policies. The course offers acquisition of knowledge and competencies to face societal challenges of bio-based economy like food safety, regulations, climate change, environmental deprivation, and the global demand for energy, food and raw materials. Information is provided about the recent trends in the life sciences, their benefits and challenges, as well as the associated with them guiding policies and public debate. The course presents as well development of innovative solutions for management of these issues through regulatory and policy frameworks. The course content presents information about the entire value chain from Research & Development, to application, processing, selling and final requests. It also discusses the ways the value chain, the rents and their distribution along this chain are influenced by policies.

Value chain economics

This course presents an overview of the institutional framework in which the EU economy operates. It emphasizes on the tendencies that are followed to ensure economy functioning and performance at European and global scale. The course provides information about the economic models and conceptual frameworks required to analyze the economic effects of the nowadays challenges: climate change, consumer demand for quality and sustainable products, market globalization and the changes in the supply chain. The course introduces the EU industrial policy for different economy sectors, with special emphasis of the food production and supply. It outlines the market-based solutions to make better the operation of this sector, including production, processing, and distribution standards, that guarantee sustainability of the supply chain.

Value chain economics

This course presents an overview of the institutional framework in which the EU economy operates. It emphasizes on the tendencies that are followed to ensure economy functioning and performance at European and global scale. The course provides information about the economic models and conceptual frameworks required to analyze the economic effects of the nowadays challenges: climate change, consumer demand for quality and sustainable products, market globalization and the changes in the supply chain. The course introduces the EU industrial policy for different economy sectors, with special emphasis of the food production and supply. It outlines the market-based solutions to make better the operation of this sector, including production, processing, and distribution standards, that guarantee sustainability of the supply chain.

Circular entrepreneurship

This course, an interdisciplinary one by nature, deals with the critical evaluation of sustainable solutions to design products, businesses and systems. It offers information that helps trainees to make a shift in their thinking from a product design to a system thinking approach, and discusses how to organize and support the transition into a circular economy. Thus, the course presents the basics of the principles of cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design, and its operation as certification and innovation process. Information about the circular business modelling for the implementation of C2C at various levels is provided. Examples for such implementation at project, organization and system levels are presented. The main elements in respect to personal development that facilitate the transition to circular economy are discussed with emphasis on the skills required for circular leadership and entrepreneurship.

Circular entrepreneurship

This course, an interdisciplinary one by nature, deals with the critical evaluation of sustainable solutions to design products, businesses and systems. It offers information that helps trainees to make a shift in their thinking from a product design to a system thinking approach, and discusses how to organize and support the transition into a circular economy. Thus, the course presents the basics of the principles of cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design, and its operation as certification and innovation process. Information about the circular business modelling for the implementation of C2C at various levels is provided. Examples for such implementation at project, organization and system levels are presented. The main elements in respect to personal development that facilitate the transition to circular economy are discussed with emphasis on the skills required for circular leadership and entrepreneurship.

Bio-based and circular business

The Bio-based and Circular Business course is dedicated to the business and societal aspects of bio-based and circular economy. It offers knowledge about the strategic and multi-stakeholder management; new business development, and managing circular cycles. Information about the business models development and feasibility assessment of bio-based products is given. Up-to-date information on new business developments, and the challenges imposed by the transition to circular economy process is revealed. The approaches for redesigning and restructuring Product-Service-Systems to ensure future viability of business activities and market competiveness are presented. The transition to a circular business model as a new way of thinking and doing business is discussed. The course offers to its trainees as well approaches to understand the interactions between the environment and the economy, and the impact of the economy on the environment. The most important economic principles that are applied to solve environmental and resource problems are discussed.

Bio-based and circular business

The Bio-based and Circular Business course is dedicated to the business and societal aspects of bio-based and circular economy. It offers knowledge about the strategic and multi-stakeholder management; new business development, and managing circular cycles. Information about the business models development and feasibility assessment of bio-based products is given. Up-to-date information on new business developments, and the challenges imposed by the transition to circular economy process is revealed. The approaches for redesigning and restructuring Product-Service-Systems to ensure future viability of business activities and market competiveness are presented. The transition to a circular business model as a new way of thinking and doing business is discussed. The course offers to its trainees as well approaches to understand the interactions between the environment and the economy, and the impact of the economy on the environment. The most important economic principles that are applied to solve environmental and resource problems are discussed.

Natural resources economics and management

This course discusses the effective and sustainable use of natural resources. It presents key issues regarding the intensive exploitation of resource in the viewpoint of the future generations. It discusses this exploitation dealing with nonrenewable resources (e.g. minerals and fossil fuels) and renewable resources (forests, fisheries, water, and ecosystems). Special attention is paid to the economic basis of different policy instruments that manage the utilization of these resources. Information is provided about the resource dynamics and sustainable utilization. The extraction of resources from natural ecosystems and their use - exploitation of timber, collection of fruits and resin, biomass production, etc., is revealed, and their exploitation in a sustainable way is commented. The trainees will be taught to quantify the effects of resource utilization on future resource availability and ecosystem characteristics and to use simple modelling tools to evaluate the dynamics of resources and the effects of exploitation.

Natural resources economics and management

This course discusses the effective and sustainable use of natural resources. It presents key issues regarding the intensive exploitation of resource in the viewpoint of the future generations. It discusses this exploitation dealing with nonrenewable resources (e.g. minerals and fossil fuels) and renewable resources (forests, fisheries, water, and ecosystems). Special attention is paid to the economic basis of different policy instruments that manage the utilization of these resources. Information is provided about the resource dynamics and sustainable utilization. The extraction of resources from natural ecosystems and their use - exploitation of timber, collection of fruits and resin, biomass production, etc., is revealed, and their exploitation in a sustainable way is commented. The trainees will be taught to quantify the effects of resource utilization on future resource availability and ecosystem characteristics and to use simple modelling tools to evaluate the dynamics of resources and the effects of exploitation.

Sources, technologies and applications of renewable energy

This course focuses on harvesting sustainable energy sources as a key factor in solving environmental problems. It presents the basic technical principles of renewable energy production, conversion systems, efficiencies, costs and environmental impacts. The information covers the following areas: solar, wind, water and geothermal energy conversion. The importance of availability of sufficient energy as a key prerequisite for the industrial society and the contribution of renewable energy sources to satisfy these needs is discussed. Energy savings and the use of renewable energy as a strategic priority of circular economy are stressed upon. The positive impact of the circular approach in closing energy resource cycles in accordance with sustainability principles is commented. In addition, technical options and concepts to locally supply and recover/reuse energy resource streams are introduced and evaluated.

Sources, technologies and applications of renewable energy

This course focuses on harvesting sustainable energy sources as a key factor in solving environmental problems. It presents the basic technical principles of renewable energy production, conversion systems, efficiencies, costs and environmental impacts. The information covers the following areas: solar, wind, water and geothermal energy conversion. The importance of availability of sufficient energy as a key prerequisite for the industrial society and the contribution of renewable energy sources to satisfy these needs is discussed. Energy savings and the use of renewable energy as a strategic priority of circular economy are stressed upon. The positive impact of the circular approach in closing energy resource cycles in accordance with sustainability principles is commented. In addition, technical options and concepts to locally supply and recover/reuse energy resource streams are introduced and evaluated.

Sustainability Analysis

This course presents the basic principles for systematic and quantitative evaluation of sustainability. It offers data about the approaches for optimization and redesign of sustainable supply chains, and how to design new circular supply chains. Definitions and concepts of sustainability are explained and discussed. Information and guidelines for quantifying products’ sustainability of and production chains is revealed. The steps for performance of sustainability assessment and the corresponding key sustainability performance indicators are explained. The methods for quantification of sustainability performance indicators, their comparison and discussion of the results leading to re-design strategies are commented. Special attention will be given to multi-objective evaluation using operations management methods.

Sustainability Analysis

This course presents the basic principles for systematic and quantitative evaluation of sustainability. It offers data about the approaches for optimization and redesign of sustainable supply chains, and how to design new circular supply chains. Definitions and concepts of sustainability are explained and discussed. Information and guidelines for quantifying products’ sustainability of and production chains is revealed. The steps for performance of sustainability assessment and the corresponding key sustainability performance indicators are explained. The methods for quantification of sustainability performance indicators, their comparison and discussion of the results leading to re-design strategies are commented. Special attention will be given to multi-objective evaluation using operations management methods.

Production and risk management

This course is designed to provide trainees with an understanding of production and risk management and how to adapt the general practices to different businesses. The theory of allocation of resources under uncertainty and implications for production are discussed. They include items such as attitudes towards risk, moral hazards and adverse selection. The implications of different risk management strategies are studied. Knowledge about the methods for risk assessment and evaluation of different risk management strategies is provided. Data about the assessment of the effect of changes in external factors on the allocation of resources, the exposure of businesses to risk, and the evaluation of risk mitigation possibilities are presented. The course envisageя mastering of practical skills to apply software tools for modelling production decisions.

Production and risk management

This course is designed to provide trainees with an understanding of production and risk management and how to adapt the general practices to different businesses. The theory of allocation of resources under uncertainty and implications for production are discussed. They include items such as attitudes towards risk, moral hazards and adverse selection. The implications of different risk management strategies are studied. Knowledge about the methods for risk assessment and evaluation of different risk management strategies is provided. Data about the assessment of the effect of changes in external factors on the allocation of resources, the exposure of businesses to risk, and the evaluation of risk mitigation possibilities are presented. The course envisageя mastering of practical skills to apply software tools for modelling production decisions.