Free online webinar

Around 21% of the EU’s total surface area is covered by grassland, which makes grassland management a relevant activity for the maintenance of agro-ecosystems and rural economies. However, most of this resource is mostly left unused. To unlock this potential, the Horizon 2020 GO-GRASS project (https://www.go-grass.eu) is supporting the production of sustainable grass-based products replacing existing fossil-based alternatives, such as fertilisers or plastic-packaging.

At the occasion of the EU Green Week 2022, which focuses on the European Green Deal, the GO-GRASS project will shed light on how increased grasslands and carbon sequestration are delivering benefits for biodiversity, climate neutrality, circular economy and water quality.

This online event, taking place from 14 to 16 CET on 1 June 2022, will present practices and resources that can foster the deployment of carbon farming linked to sustainable grassland management practices and circular agro-food systems in Europe.

The event will provide a chance for entrepreneurs, farmer organisations, policy makers, researchers, rural networks and other European and local stakeholders, to discover circular grass-based business models with high replication potential and solutions for carbon removals.

Link to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x6vb2D6WSYmCZ_kJhBcDVg

The ICA Community of Practice for Bioeconomy Education is organizing a Colloquium about “Interdisciplinary Education for the Bioeconomy: embedding the mindset of the bioeconomy in the curricula of Bachelor degree programmes“, which will be held on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 May at the Monasterium Poortackere, Ghent, Belgium.

Useful links:
Colloquium Programme
Call for case studies
Registration

Colloquium focus

The Colloquium will focus on education for the Bioeconomy at the Bachelor level, with the focus on the ambition to develop the mindset of students for the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy through the curriculum of Bachelor degree programmes.

Students follow many different Bachelor degree programmes which can provide opportunities for careers in the different fields of the bioeconomy represented by agriculture, forestry, horticulture, blue economy, food value chain, biotechnology, and the bio-based economy. However, many graduates on leaving education are not aware of the career opportunities and the scope of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy. Employers in these industries need staff who bring the perspective of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy to their particular job in the workplace.

These many existing specific Bachelor degree programmes, related to the many disciplines underpinning the Bioeconomy, need to incorporate within the curriculum an understanding of the concept and interdisciplinarity of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy.

The goal of the Colloquium is to address how such an interdisciplinarity mindset of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy should be embedded in the curricula of these Bachelor degree programmes.

The question is posed in terms of the concept of the structure of degree programmes based on the T principle. How to present the interdisciplinarity of the cross bar of the T in a degree programme with the specialisation portrayed by the vertical bar of the T? How should the balance be made between the cross bar and the vertical bar during the delivery of the curriculum? What learning trajectory steps should be made across the curriculum of a Bachelor degree programme to embed the mindset of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in the student’s experience?

Bachelor and Master stand-alone Bioeconomy degree programmes are not the focus of this Colloquium but will contribute, through their defined learning outcomes, to the discussion of how to embed the interdisciplinarity of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in specific Bachelor degree programmes.

Colloquium themes

Framing the challenge, by reviewing the learning outcomes from specific Bachelor and Master Bioeconomy degree programmes and then defining the learning outcomes required to deliver the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy mindset.

Developing a learning trajectory for delivering the interdisciplinary concept in Bachelor degree programmes, which can contribute to the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy.

Specific teaching and learning activities to support the development of interdisciplinarity for the bioeconomy, including cooperation with industry, in Bachelor specific degree programmes.

What strategic approaches are required to embed the delivery of this mindset in all Bachelor degree programmes in a life science faculty/ university.

The Colloquium Outcomes will allow delegates to:

• Define the overarching learning outcomes for the developing the mindset of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in Bachelor degree programmes underpinning the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy – for the industry sectors of agriculture, forestry, blue economy, food value chain, biotechnology and the bio-based economy.
• Define opportunities and learning activities in the learning trajectory to deliver the learning outcomes of the Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in the curricula of specific Bachelor degree programmes.

Target Audience

Degree programme co-ordinators, lecturers, members of committees responsible for the (strategic) development of curricula. National education advisers are also invited to contribute to the discussion.

Colloquium Format

Each Session of the Forum theme will be addressed by keynote speakers followed by small round table breakout groups to discuss the issues raised, with a concluding report from the breakout groups of the issues raised in the final session.

Colloquium organising committee

• Josef Glössl, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
• Ingar Janzik, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and Bioeconomy Science Center, Germany
• Han van Osch (Chair), Avans University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands & Dutch Biobased Knowledge Network
• Mona-Anitta Riihimäki, Häme University of Applied Sciences, Finland
• George Sakellaris, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague & BioEast
• Constantinos Vorgias, University of Athens, Greece
• Simon Heath, ICA Deputy Secretary General

The EU funded project Transition2Bio and the European Bioeconomy Network, in collaboration with the BBI JU funded project BIObec and the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), are producing a series of short video interviews (max 10 minutes) in order to promote the excellence of European young entrepreneurs involved in the Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy. 

The aim of this initiative is to inspire, inform and attract young generations towards educational and working careers in the bioeconomy, therefore contributing to raise the future generation of workforce informed and interested in this domain.

• Are you a young sustainable entrepreneur under 35?
• Are you willing to participate in our initiative sharing your business idea in circular bioeconomy?
• Tell us what inspired you, your study and career path, what are/was the main challenges in your activities and share your experience with students!

Contact Selenia Marinelli at this email: marinelli@fvaweb.it and make your voice heard!
We will conduct a video interview that will be part of a social media campaign in early summer.

The University of Tartu and Estonian Research Council are organizing a networking seminar on Digitisation of biology for circular bioeconomy applications, which will take place on May 31 from 15.00 to 17.00 CET in Brussels, Rue Guimard 11/13.

Registration are open until 23 May at this link.
You can download the full agenda at this link.

The combination of digitalisation and biotechnology provides a powerful opportunity to tackle the EU’s Green Deal challenges. With biology becoming a data-driven engineering discipline aiming to design disruptive biomanufacturing solutions, the EU has the opportunity to capitalise on exponential growth in research and investment in biosustainability. The seminar highlights the strategic approaches from the European Commission and leading R&D organisations, which have the potential to transform EU’s bioengineering and bioproduction sectors.

The European Commission opened a call for the next Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador programme.

Are you between 18 and 35 years old and have experience or strong interest in bioeconomy and/or bioeconomy related fields (food systems, forestry, climate change…)?  Would you like to contribute to the sustainable and circular transition of Europe?

Apply by 13 June – 11:59PM CET to join the Bioeconomy Youth Ambassadors programme to:

• lead by example, inform and inspire others about sustainable and circular bioeconomy
• reach out to communities, students and civil society, and to engage decision-makers
• work with social media to raise awareness about the role of the bioeconomy in everyone’s life
• raise awareness for the bioeconomy especially in youth communities, support the ongoing youth and education related processes of the European Union

Full details are available here.