Summer School in Applied Circular Economy (2024)

Welcome to Summer School in Applied Circular Economy

Organizer: Massimo Pizzol (Prof.)

Lecturers: TECH4CE guest Prof. Nancy.Bocken (Maastricht Univ.), Melanie Jaeger-Erben (TU Brandenburg), Ruth Mugge (TU Delft) TECH4E members Assoc. Prof. Mette Alberg Mosgaard, Assoc. Prof. Michael Søgaard Jørgensen, Prof. Massimo Pizzol, Assoc. Prof. Louise Møller Haase, Assoc. Prof. Reza Tadayoni, Assoc. Prof. Bent Thomsen + other colleagues from TECH.

ECTS: 5

Date/Time: Six online sessions in the period April – June 2024 + three full days onsite in September 2024. (attendance to 75% of online session and 100% of onsite session is required to be accepted to and pass the course)

Deadline: 4 March 2024

Max no. Of participants: 25

Description:

The course aims at building and strengthening competences in applied circular economy. The course targets the development of advanced skills in this domain by applying the problem based-learning (PBL) teaching model that focuses on learning by doing and reflection. The course applies a hybrid (online + physical) and flipped classroom approach where materials (readings, videos) are provided to the students in advance and the time spent in classroom/video meeting is used for Q&A, hands-on exercises, discussions. The course activities will include intensive group work, problem defining and solving applied to real-word cases, practical exercises, and discussion sessions or workshops. The target audience of the course is primarily academics (PhDs, postdoc, other) and then professionals who intend to bring their competences in circular economy to an advanced level. The course include both theory and practice with group work on a specific case study. Working under the supervision of the course teachers during the physical summer school days in Aalborg, as well as working independently and remotely before and after the course, students apply the exercises provided in the theory modules to a specific case study chosen within the group, and then collect all the results in a portfolio.

Module 1. Circular economy, from theory to practice

In this first module students are presented to the different theoretical approaches to circular economy as well as to their respective critiques. The focus will be on discussions on narrowing, slowing and reducing resource flows, especially focusing on the inner circles of circular economy. We also address how the potentials for circular improvements are identified. The case of digitalization and role of ICT in circular economy is presented with extant cases on ICT for waste reduction, as Product service systems, social media to enable circularity. The module includes group-exercises where theories of circular economy are applied to the analysis of a case study.

Module 2. Circular business models and strategies

The hands-on module explores the diversity in circular business models, especially with focus on the inner circles. The relevance of including new types of actors in these business models is discussed and various real-world case studies are presented to the students. Moreover, generic principles and strategies are introduced that can be applied in the design and innovation process to ensure more circular outcomes, i.e. for narrowing, slowing and closing the use of resources. The module includes group-exercises where a circular business strategy is designed for a specific case study.

Module 3. Life cycle assessment of circular business strategies

In this hands-on module students will learn how to use Life Cycle Assessment for the development and evaluation of circular economy strategies. The module covers theoretical basis of LCA, from life cycle thinking to computational structure of LCA, to practical elements such as use of LCA software, interpretation, use of results in the development of life cycle management strategies, and communication of results. The module introduces to using LCA as a starting point for creating more circular products value propositions and their influence on relations to suppliers and users. The module includes group-exercises where LCA is applied to evaluate a circular strategy for a specific case study.

Prices

Attendee / Price*

PhD students affiliated to a Danish University / Free

PhD students affiliated to Maastricht University, BTU Cottbus, TU Delft / 2.250 DKK (300 EUR)

Other PhD students / 4.500 DKK (600 EUR)

Academics (e.g. postdoc and professors) / 9.000 DKK (1200 EUR)

Professionals (consultancy, industry, etc.) / 18.000 DKK (2400 EUR)

* Prices do not cover meals or accommodation

Organizers

The course is organized by The TECH faculty and the TECH Centre for Circular Economy (TECH4CE) as, well as the Technical Doctoral School of IT and Design, Aalborg University.

Registration and info

Please apply by filling this google form https://forms.gle/yHyaTnSBZcbVjtar7. Each application will be evaluated, and we will return back to you if you are accepted for the course. For further information, please mail to the course organizer Massimo Pizzol (massimo@plan.aau.dk).

ECTS Distribution

The five ECTS credits of the course are divided roughly in this way:

Activity / Hours / ECTS

Lectures and group work in class  / 50  / 1.8

Readings  / 35  / 1.3

Group work prior to course / 20  / 0.7

Group work after course / 35  /1.3

Total  / 140 / 5.0

*One ECTS credit is equivalent to 28 hours of work

Activities: Includes attending to the lectures and performing exercises in class.

Readings: Approx. 100 pages of scientific articles and reports, that are provided to the students, plus tutorials and videos.

Group work: students work in groups (max 5 people). Each group will work on a case study and apply the knowledge of the course on the case study.

EXAMPLE, a group works on a case study of applied circular economy a product and does:

-                           prior to the course: description of case study, getting base knowledge and data to describe the product, service, or system under analysis.

-                           during the course (exercises in class): applying methods and tools presented, for example developing a circular business strategy relevant for the case.

-                           after the course: organize the material and prepare a portfolio/article where all the techniques are presented for the case study.

At the end of the course all portfolios are made available. Each student will thus get the info on five different cases. Students should be able to organize themselves using online tools for video calls and file sharing to collaborate in group remotely prior and after the course.

Prerequisites: The course is intended to be interdisciplinary and therefore is open to participants of different background (from Architecture to IT) so there are no strict prerequisites. The course will address basic as well as advanced elements of the circular economy methodological landscape, for a mixed audience.

However, the course is primarily designed to target students at the TECH faculty, which have background in environmental management, architecture and design, electronic systems, and computer science. So the course case studies will also be in these domains. Participants with background substantially different from these domains are recommended to explain clearly in their application what is the circular economy angle in their PhD project.

Basic knowledge of environmental management, sustainability, and life cycle thinking is an advantage, as well as any practical experience with circular economy problems or having approached some case studies on circular economy before.

Important information concerning PhD courses: We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 3000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations.