The CERES project, a European project that aims to support the ecological transition of the production system through circular economy training, is about to enter the piloting phase of the Circular Economy Digital Innovation Hub (CE-DIH). It is “a dynamic and collaborative digital platform with the aim of fostering innovation and skills development for the transition to a circular economy,” as stated in CERES’ document “First version of the architecture and terms of use of the Circular Economy Digital Innovation Hub,” available on the project’s website, which outlines the guidelines for its development, structure and functionality.
With the slogan “Promoting sustainable innovation and collaboration for a circular and digital future,” the CE-DIH is conceived as a shared digital space that provides training and skills development services to support the green transition. It aims to connect people and companies and disseminate up-to-date information on circular economy, labor market skills, laws, policies and latest standards or by telling about good practices and innovative processes adopted in circular economy.
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What is the CERES project
CERES (Circular Economy Innovation Ecosystems Redesigning Skills) aims to respond to key social and economic challenges in both education and employment. Amidst the current economic, social, and environmental context of intertwining innovation, need for new skills, and digitization, climate crisis and the need for an increasingly circular economy, it is fundamental to identify market trends in the circular economy sector, training gaps between current educational offerings and actual labor market needs, as well as making recommendations on the content of new curricula related to the circular economy.
The CERES consortium consists of nine actors (universities, vocational training institutions, consortia of companies, institutions and non-profit organisations) active in the field of the circular economy in five EU countries (Denmark, Italy, France, Bulgaria and Cyprus) plus one partner from the United Kingdom. Partners include the Centro Documentazione Conflitti Ambientali (CDCA), a non-profit organisation working in the field of promotion and communication of the circular economy, which will be in charge of the research and dissemination part of the results, and the universities Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Bari.
Who the CE-DIH platform is designed for
Higher education and vocational education and training students are the main target audience for the CERES digital platform and will benefit from curricula and training materials designed specifically to equip them with the skills needed in the circular economy. Small and medium-sized enterprises active in the sectors included in the CERES project (i.e. automotive, textiles, and e-waste) can equally gain benefits from CE-DIH through access to training, best practices, and networking opportunities that the platform offers. SMEs that develop and implement circular business models, focus on green technologies, the use of sustainable and advanced materials, eco-design solutions, are active in the field of recycling, reuse and reconditioning, work on clean technologies or innovations to foster a zero-waste economy or, finally, are interested in engaging with higher education and vocational training institutions to support training and skills development for the circular economy will find many opportunities on the digital platform.
The platform will be of interest to companies using digital technologies such as blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) to support circular economy initiatives. It will also attract companies involved in efficient resource management, including reverse logistics, supply chain management for circularity, and those dealing with waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), plastic waste, and textiles. The digital space will offer opportunities to share and witness case studies and experiences through CERES online courses for educational purposes.
A platform designed for user interaction
The CE-DIH will provide a single entry point to connect its members, including students, SMEs and other education and training actors. The online platform will be accessed from a link on the CERES project website. The CE-DIH is developed on the Mighty Networks online platform. A choice made to allow interaction among users, with the possibility of creating communities and encouraging participation with numerous functions typical of social networks, such as discussion forums, video content, polls and live streaming, direct messages.
In addition, the platform is particularly functional for organising and managing courses, live virtual events and discussions. The aim of all this is to facilitate networking between students and companies, promote collaboration and the sharing of best practices and case studies.
What functions the digital platform will have
In addition to functions designed to build a digital community, such as events and discussion forums, the platform contains another set of functions, more oriented towards actual training. First of all, the CE-DIH will provide access to CERES online courses, workshops and interactive e-learning materials to enhance the personal knowledge of higher education and vocational education students and support the growth of their careers in the circular economy. There is also a training section dedicated to up-skilling and re-skilling.
Much emphasis in the platform is placed on best practices and case studies of innovative solutions in the circular economy and digital transition from around the world, to provide practical insights and replicable models for companies and students. With a strong focus on the practical side, on the CE-DIH platform users will find design tools for circular product development, circular value chain optimisation, life cycle assessment calculators, but also information on business models, financial modeling tools and impact measurement to support the scalability of circular initiatives.
Also with the aim of providing users with useful information, in addition to a dedicated publications section, where academic research and studies on the transition to the circular economy will be uploaded, the CE-DIH will provide updates on EU policies and laws and any regulatory changes through articles and analyses, with the aim of keeping the community informed and able to navigate the evolving circular economy policy landscape.
Finally, news on accessing funding in support of the circular economy and digital transition will also be disseminated through information on available funding programmes at local, national and European levels, information on eligibility criteria, application deadlines and required documentation, and regular updates and project newsletters informing members about new funding opportunities, deadlines and relevant events.
The platform is a digital ecosystem for the circular economy
The wider objective of the Circular Economy Digital Innovation Hub is to create an innovation ecosystem in which a synergy between industrial and academic partners can be cultivated to foster the emergence of new collaborations and joint research that will lead, through the circulation of ideas, to the discovery of new solutions and the development of innovative technologies. Thanks to the courses, information materials and workshops, companies will be constantly updated on the latest technological advances and market trends, providing an opportunity for continuous improvement and increased competitiveness, helping them to overcome challenges and expand their businesses. Ultimately, the innovation ecosystem will act as a catalyst for change, enabling the CERES digital platform to fulfill its mission of promoting the principles of the circular economy and digital excellence.
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