The Circular Economy: Theory and Practice

About

What is the circular economy, and what can it mean for our life, study, and work? In this course, you will participate in active and creative workshops and excursions, and you will receive lectures from circular economy experts. The course will teach you what the circular economy is, how it tackles environmental and social problems, and which business and policy innovations are important for the circular economy. At the end of this course, you will be inspired and empowered to develop your own business or policy initiative for the circular economy.

The current linear take-make-waste economy negatively impacts the natural and social environment. The circular economy is an alternative that promises ways to regenerate the natural environment and to enhance social justice. However, to transition towards a circular economy, it is important to develop innovative business models, rethink policies, and empower civil society. These aspects of the circular economy are often overlooked in teaching.

In this active and innovative summer course you will learn what the circular economy is, how it deals with environmental and social problems, and which business and policy innovations are crucial to transition towards a circular economy. We will look at innovations in policy, business, and civil society. This course aims to inspire and empower students to design their own business, policy, or social initiative for the circular economy

This course is one of the first to focus on the social side of the circular economy. It draws from experiences in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Europe, where social innovations and social justice are part of various circular initiatives. The course is also developed as part of two large research projects. A first research project investigates social innovations for the circular economy, and focuses on organizations such as Repair Cafés. A second project investigates attempts to green city buildings in a way that creates social and environmental benefits, and focuses on phenomena such as green roofs.

Course leader

Katinka Quintelier

Target group

The course is open to students at the Master’s level or students in a Bachelor’s Honours Programme. The course is also open to practitioners with a background in or at least basic knowledge of the circular economy, environmental sustainability, social sustainability, or how to create business, policy, and a society that is socially just and environmentally sustainable. The course will be taught at Master student level.

Course aim

By the end of this course, you will:

• know, understand, and explain social (economic, political, cultural, market, regulatory) barriers and enablers of the circular economy
• know, understand, and explain the reasons for the transition towards the circular economy
• know, understand, and explain the different strategies as methods to enhance material circularity
• have research skills to reflect on social innovations for circularity
• design your own social innovation for circularity
• have research skills to analyze social innovations for circularity

Fee info

Students, PhD candidates and employees of VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC or an Aurora Network Partner €765 Students and PhD candidates at partner universities of VU Amsterdam €1035 Students and PhD candidates at non-partner universities of VU Amsterdam €1140 Professionals €1360