• BIObec is bringing together 19 partners from 12 different countries that will work for 30 months and build bridges between the bio-based industry and the education system.
• The project proposes a concept that merges the traditional idea of an education centre with that of a knowledge hub: the Bio-Based Education Centres (BBECs).

Madrid (Spain), 14 September 2021. – BIObec, a new project leveraging education to unlock the full potential of the European Union’s bioeconomy, officially kicked off with the celebration of an online meeting today, 14 September 2021.

The increasing importance of the bioeconomy, a sector in full growth, encompasses a great potential for economic development and the creation of new jobs. However, it also generates a demand for a qualified workforce with new skills and professional competencies.  BIObec aims to maximise the opportunities offered by the bioeconomy by interlinking universities, innovation labs, and R&D centres with industrial actors and regions to avoid skills and competencies gaps.

In order to achieve this, the project is bringing together 19 partners from 12 different countries that will work for 30 months and build bridges between the bio-based industry and the education system.

BIObec proposes a concept that merges the traditional idea of an education centre – such as a university or a vocational education and training centre – with that of a knowledge hub: the Bio-Based Education Centres (BBECs), which will act as multi-level knowledge hubs bridging the gaps between academic institutions, students, innovation entities and policymakers.

“We are very glad to coordinate a project proposing a collaborative perspective for the development of new skills and educational approaches”, said Davide Viaggi, Professor and Researcher at University of Bologna and BIObec’s Project Coordinator. “By developing the concept of the Bio-Based Education Centres, we expect to align the bio-based industry needs for skills and competencies, with the workforce potential through consistent interactions between all the relevant stakeholders.”

BIObec aims to set the basis for the development of BBECs in six different European regions to answer the needs of the bio-based industry at local, regional, and national levels. These BBECs are expected to ensure a wide geographical coverage in Europe and address a wide range of topics linked to the variety of value chains and the different institutional contexts, paving the way for replication in other regions.

The bioeconomy: a sector in full growth

The bioeconomy comprises the production of renewable biological resources from land and sea, like crops, forests, fish, animals, and micro-organisms and their conversion into food, materials, energy, and related goods. Europe’s shift to a low carbon economy is stimulating the bioeconomy’s growth, and it is estimated that this emerging sector could create a million new jobs by 2030, especially in rural and coastal areas. However, these jobs would need to be filled by a specialised and qualified workforce, and thus, there is a growing demand for new education programmes that can deliver the needed skills and competencies. It is against this background that BIObec has been funded with the aim to bridge the gap between the industry needs and the educational offer.

About BIObec

BIObec is coordinated by the University of Bologna and formed by a multi-disciplinary consortium including:

• 11 educational institutions: the Universities of Bologna, Hohenheim, Eastern Finland, Autonomous of Barcelona, Wageningen, Trakia, Munster Technological, Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna, and the National Institute Of Technology For Life, Food And Environmental Sciences – AgroParisTech, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, and the Educational Research Institute (IBE).
  • A national research body: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.
• Three industrial clusters from the bio-based industry: Technological Corporation of Andalusia (CTA), Food and Cluster Bio Denmark, and Irish Bioeconomy Foundation.
• Two SMEs with large experience in dissemination and communication in the bioeconomy: FVA and Sustainable Innovations.
• A non-profit organisation integrating business and academia: Foundation for Education and Social Dialogue Pro Civis.
• And a private research institute: Research Institute for Fodder Crops, Ltd. Troubsko.

For more information, contact: info@biobec.eu

6 – 10 SEPTEMBER 2021 THESSALONIKI GREECE
American Farm School

Objectives and Aims
In the current Circular Bioeconomy concept, the key players are the new
generation of experts and managers possessing a wide educational background
and capable of covering the entire spectrum of this multidisciplinary and crosssectoral
field. In this frame, we aim to invite students and young scientists to
participate in the 3rd Summer School to be organized ΟΝ-LINE AND FREE OF
CHARGE from 6 to 10 September 2021.

The topics
• The Agricultural and Forest Value Chains
• The Aquatic Value Chain
• Biodiversity, Digitalisation and Bio-Informatics in the Post Genome Era.
• Societal, Innovation, Regulatory, and Clustering Issues.
• Education Worldwide

Target Audience
There is no specific limit on the number of participants. Preferably graduate
students and young researchers.

Towards a hybrid education frame
This year the Summer School will be organized entirely online, for the last time.
The current pandemic situation imposes that. However, we consider this a
challenging opportunity for testing new communication and educational systems
which could efficiently substitute traditional educational methods.

Expected outcomes and perspectives
• Familiarization of the students with the current trends of Circular Bioeconomy
and Sustainable Development
• Enabling interest for a particular region
• Introduction to some new aspects and perspectives
• Involvement of the students in practice. Presentation of case studies from the
Industry.

Chaired by
Prof. Dr. Konstantinos E. Vorgias

Commission
Free of charge

Registration: cvorgias@biol.uoa.gr

Program 3rd Summer School on Circular Bioeconomy & Sustainable Development

THE one-day physical cross-border pitching, matchmaking and networking event: “Pitch Perfect and Boost the European Bioeconomy 2021”, to be held at Brussels Airport on September 28^th, 2021 from 10am-5pm.

Why should you attend?

1. Are you an SME, start-up, about-to-start-up, technology or innovation service provider? Submit your Innovative TECHNOLOGY PITCH now!

We are looking for 66 innovative technology pitches to inspire our participants (potential partners, investors, corporates looking for biobased solutions, technology & innovation service providers, feedstock owners, shared scale-up facilities, tech transfer organisations…). The pitches will be granted on a first-come-first-served basis, so do not hesitate and submit your pitch ASAP. More info: https://biopilots4u.eu/events/pitch-perfect-and-boost-european-bioeconomy-2021 (Click “What’s going on?” and then “Pitching”)

 Pitches can be technology, feedstock or product related but also business related (e.g. access to finance, innovation services…).

 2. A full day of intense cross-border networking and matchmaking supported by an online tool

For many of you this might be the first physical event you can attend after a long period of online meetings. We therefor focus this event on safe (check out our covid-19 policy!) networking and matchmaking, supported by a matchmaking tool that will be activated by the end of August. More info: https://biopilots4u.eu/events/pitch-perfect-and-boost-european-bioeconomy-2021 (Click “What’s going on?” and then “Matchmaking” OR “covid-19 policy”)

3. Exhibit @ this event

The event will also host an exhibition in the spacious “Atrium” of the venue which is also used as catering and main networking area. A booth (500€ incl. one free registration) can be booked by sending an email to Charlotte.Gijselinck@bbeu.org.

For more information and registration: https://biopilots4u.eu/events/pitch-perfect-and-boost-european-bioeconomy-2021.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Brussels on September 28^th! The organiser networks of Pilots4U, Tech4Biowaste, BioeconomyVentures, Smartbox, Waste2Func and Bio Base Connect. 

Founder of the World BioEconomy Forum, Jukka Kantola, recently returned from a visit to Belém and São Paulo, Brazil. Preparations have been progressing well and the State of Pará and its capital Belém is ready to host the Forum 2021, 18 – 20 October. The event will highlight the importance of the circular bioeconomy in the fight against climate change.

Kantola commented on his visit to Belém to view the facilities and meet the organising team: “It was a great visit to Brazil last week. I enjoyed every moment, and I am very pleased to see that Belém is ready to host the Forum 2021. I made the journey from Finland to Brazil and back without any problems at all.”

“We just need to start living again – people are made to see each other. If you can be disciplined at home, you can be disciplined wherever you are in the world – respecting authorities’ instructions and taking care of personal protection, for instance wearing masks and keeping social distance. Belém is not only the gateway to the Amazon, but during the Forum it will be the gateway to the circular bioeconomy.”

Organization of the event is well under way, with the pandemic in the region well under control, according to the Pará State health authorities. The Forum is expecting a good number of international speakers and delegates at the event, as well as a wide representation of circular bioeconomy stakeholders from Brazil and the rest of Latin America.

“We are committed and delighted to be hosting the World BioEconomy Forum in the capital of our state,” says José Mauro de Lima O’ de Almeida, Estate Secretary of Environment and Sustainability.

“But it is important to highlight the bioeconomy that we want, because bioeconomy is not a closed concept. In Brazil, bioeconomy is discussed a lot as if it were the use of natural resources for applications such as ethanol. However, we want to talk more broadly at this Forum.  We intend to shed light on the bioeconomy of the forest, of forest products and of our vocations linked to the forest, such as the fruits, roots, stems and trees that are used for forest restoration. By encouraging these forest products, which we already cultivate, increasing production capacity, also with the incorporation of technology, we understand that we have changed the key to Pará’s economy based on the bioeconomy.”

“There is no doubt that the bioeconomy in Brazil and throughout Latin America will be seen in a completely different light after this event in Belém,” emphasizes the state secretary.

To coincide with the event, the Pará State has launched Bioeconomy Week, which will take place a week before the Forum and will feature side events and educational platforms relating to the circular bioeconomy in the region. The state has also launched a specially designed World BioEconomy Forum logo for the 2021 event, emphasizing local elements of its bioeconomy.