As part of the third work package (WP3) of the Erasmus+ KA220-HED "Trifold approach to circular economy: perspectives of academia, business and wider society", 2022-1-BG01-KA220-HED-000085464, the third workshop was held at the Faculty of Economics University of Nis, Serbia, 21-23 September, 2023. The participants of the workshop were representatives of four partner universities - D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics - Svishtov, ARTIFEX University Bucharest, Istanbul Esenyurt Üniversitesi and the Faculty of Economics, University of Niš. The workshop was organized by the Faculty of Economics, University of Niš, partner on this project, headed by Prof. Dr. Maja Ivanovic-Djukic, local project coordinator.
The main planned activities according the agenda of the workshop included: Welcome and brief introduction by the project coordinator; Project status overview; Workshop objectives and participants` expectations; Review on components of circular economy from students’ perspective; Discussion on the envisaged content in terms of accepting by students assisted by lecturers; Review on the topic coverage related to circular economy; Discussion on the envisaged content in terms of accepting by students as self-learning; Discussion on applicable approaches towards disadvantaged students; Brainstorming on necessary topics for elaboration; Recap of the first day of the workshop; Meeting at the hotel lobby and going to the meeting room; Discussion on chapter structure of the Repertory on Circular Economy for students; Discussion on subchapter division of the Repertory on Circular Economy for students; Brainstorming on topics and envisaged content for including into the Repertory; Final selection of content coverage; Discussion on length, style, page composition and common wording of the content of the Repertory; Recap of the second day of the workshop.
The first day of the seminar began with a welcome from the project manager, Prof. Dr. Andrey Zahariev from D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics - Svishtov, who pointed out the main achievements of this stage of the project and described the upcoming tasks. The coordinator of the preparation of the interactive materials, Slaveyko Slavkov, demonstrated the content of the second work package in its interactive module and gave recommendations for the content of the third work package. The hosts from the University of Niš presented original video clips for the purposes of the second work package with the participation of professors and representatives of the practice of industries operating in the field of recycling and the circular economy. The representatives of the Turkish partner informed about changes in the academic leadership and their effect on the administration of the project. An overview of the indicators for the dissemination of the project results and its coverage in the media and social network was made. All partners reported readiness to prepare the necessary reports for submission to the National Agency of the progress report on the project in its first year.
The first day also included presentation of all members of national projects teams. During the three-day seminar objectives of the third work package were analyzed; the envisaged content in terms of accepting by students assisted by lecturers were discussed; a comprehensive overview of existing topics coverage related to circular economy was given and applicable approaches towards disadvantaged students were analyzed; a Brainstorming session on necessary topics for elaboration was organized. After the active discussion on the topic of introducing the circular economy in education and brainstorming sessions, the topics and expected results of the third work package were defined in depth.
After the introductory lectures and presentations on the need for the fastest possible transition to the principles of circular economy, the last day of the workshop was dedicated to the discussion of the structure of the Repertory on Circular Economy for students, which will be the result of the third work package of the project, the selection of author teams for each chapter of the book and the discussion on length, style, page composition and common wording of the content of the Repertory. In addition, the important result of the three-day workshop was the preparation for development of an interactive materials for students envisaged for WP3, after an active discussion of the presented materials for teachers that were prepared during WP2. At the end of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Tadija Djukic, dean of the Faculty of Economics University of Nis, awarded all participants certificates of participation.
In addition to the activities provided in the agenda, and in line with the "green" focus of the project, a visit to the "E-Recycling" company in Niš was organized, during which the process of recycling of electrical devices, plastic and paper was explained and demonstrated to the project participants. Also, a visit to the archeological site of Median in Niš was organized.
The project partners agreed the next planned activities to be held in Istanbul:
Transnational partner meeting 2 on project administration (7-9.10.2023); and
Workshop 4 on the competence set vital for circular economy (11-13.01.2024).
