The lineal economy model take-make-consume-dispose is a reflection of a time when resources and energy were believed to be unlimited and easy to obtain and there was no awareness of the serious environmental consequences.
Industrial Symbiosis (IS) is one way to achieve green growth by keeping the added value in products for as long as possible and at the same time eliminating waste. IS is a waste-as-resource business model aiming to use waste a resource promotes cross-sector and cross-cycle links by creating markets for secondary raw materials. This system approach to a more sustainable and integrated industrial system could contribute to resolve the development and environmental challenges articulated in SDGs.
Hence, the main objective of the project is to develop a new professional profile, the INDUSTRIAL SYMBIOSIS FACILITATOR towards the design of a common curriculum and learning approach on. This IS facilitator would be responsible of different tasks: to conduct analysis in its area of influence, to define and promote synergies between companies from different sectors, to capitalise on the benefits of Circular Economy principles implemented, etc.
The INSIGHT project will bring together an innovative Consortium made up of 6 partners from 5 European Countries: VET providers, research centres, SMEs and non-governmental associations with wide experience in IS and education.
- EcoRes (ECORES)- Belgium
- Símbiosy (SYM)- Spain
- Styrian Technology Park (STP)- Slovenia
- Centro Tecnológico del Mueble y la Madera de la Región de Murcia (CETEM)- Spain
- Centrul National Pentru Productie Si Consum Durabile (CNPCD) – Romania
- Sistemi Formativi Confindustria (SFC)- Italy
To this end, INSIGHT partnership has defined the following specific and SMART objectives:
SO1. To design and develop a Joint Curriculum (JC) for developing and fostering new skills on VET students with the participation of stakeholders and education experts.
SO2. To deliver the JC on e-learning platform and project it under open licenses.
SO3. To develop a blueprint strategy and governance guidelines to include IS.
SO4. To equip VET users and other target users with the right skills and knowledge about IS from today and tomorrow and to foster a sustainable and innovative development.
SO5. To create new job opportunities for people with the necessary skills (soft and technical ones).
SO6. To boost new business related to IS fulfilling the principles of the Circular Economy.
And finally, four intellectual outputs will be implemented during the 30 months of the project (from Sept 2019 to Feb 2022) in order to reach all the objectives detailed before:
- Training Path Definition
- Development of INSIGHT Training Materials
- INSIGHT Training and Collaborative Platform
- Blueprint for Industrial Symbiosis
