REPIC is one of ten European partners that will create a a framework aimed at bridging the skills gap necessary for the transition towards a circular economy.

CERES is a European Project that places the Circular Economy and Education at its core.

This initiative brings together 10 European partners from the business, education, and nonprofit sectors to create a framework aimed at bridging the skills gap necessary for the transition towards a circular economy.

CERES is making its first steps as a European project that aims to support the ecological transition of the production system through training in the circular economy.

The project hinges on strategic collaboration among the 10 partners forming the consortium, among those universities, vocational training institutions, consortia of companies, governmental institutions, and nonprofit organisations.

These partners are working in concert to drive innovation in the circular economy, foster the development of new digital skills, and inspire entrepreneurial initiatives among Europe’s young talents and emerging professionals.

CERES primarily seeks to address significant social and economic challenges within the realms of education and employment. This endeavour is particularly relevant in the current economic, social, and environmental landscape, characterised by the intersecting challenges of innovation, the demand for new skills, digitalisation, and the pressing issues of climate change urging the need for a more circular economy.

Commencing in June and co-funded by the European Commission, the project is set to reach its objectives by May 2026.

CERES Partners

The CERES consortium comprises stakeholders actively engaged in the circular economy, with several prior initiatives and projects in Europe, including but not limited to extensive experience in managing WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) in Europe.

The partnership is formed by an alliance of nine entities across five EU countries (Denmark, Italy, France, Bulgaria, and Cyprus), along with one partner from the UK

The three main areas of activity are divided among the partners as follows:

• Education, led by the project coordinator Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) and partners Politecnico di Bari (POLIBA), EPBS (École des Ponts Business School) in France, Aalborg Universitet (AAU) in Denmark, and Cleantech Bulgaria (CTBG).
• Market players, represented by ECO, Italy’s largest Extended Producer Responsibility system for managing waste from electronic products and batteries, as well as the valorization of the raw materials they contain. Additionally, REPIC from the United Kingdom and Circular Economy Alliance (CEA), an innovative research-based EPBS-CERC spinoff based in Cyprus.
• Finally, the Center for Documentation of Environmental Conflicts (CDCA), a nonprofit organization working in the field of circular economy promotion and communication, will take charge of the research aspect and play a leading role in the dissemination phase.”

The partners’ experiences and expertise span various fields and sectors, including WEEE, textiles, wind energy, and automotive.

Latest Project News:

What skills and competences are needed in the Circular Economy? 16th October 2023

A new CERES survey has been designed for companies and aims to assess the professional roles and skills sets necessary for the comprehensive adoption of the circular model.

This will allow the project team to develop courses and curricula dedicated and targeted to the circular economy to train new professionals, based on the needs identified by both theory and practice.

The survey is open until the end of November 2023 and can be completed here.