With over 42 participants, the First Mutual Learning Workshop organised by our partner CTA and held at our partners’ Steinbeis Europa Zentrum in Stuttgart was a success!
Purpose of the workshop
The First Mutual Learning Workshop aimed to facilitate the exchange of best practices and explore the replication potential of project assets among European regions. All ROBIN regions but mainly regions like Žilina or the Region of Central Macedonia which are still developing their bioeconomy strategies and circular governance models, can leverage the ROBIN Toolbox as a resource to assess their bioeconomy potential and identify growth opportunities.
During the workshop, the ROBIN Toolbox was introduced from both technical and regional perspectives by the Q-PLAN and Steinbeis Europa Zentrum teams. Both teams highlighted its development process and extended an invitation to regional authorities across the European Union to participate in the beta testing phase. Selected authorities will have the chance to be among the first to utilise innovative tools and methodologies that can enhance policy implementation related to bioeconomy. The open call for participation will remain open until early December.
Presentations and insights
Igor Kos, a representative from e-ZAVOD, shared valuable insights into developing a Circular Bioeconomy Strategy using the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) methodology, drawing from experiences in the Podravje-Maribor region of Slovenia. Four bioeconomy-related projects which closely colaborate with ROBIN and are funded under the Horizon Europe framework –BIOMODELS4REGIONS, BIOTRANSFORM, CEE2ACT, and SUSTRACK– presented their respective tools and approaches while sharing best practices for advancing bioeconomy development.
Patrick Bechhaus presented an overview of the upcoming CCRI Self-Assessment Tool and its functionality. It’s interesting to see how the CCRI develops practical solutions for the selection of suitable indicators, the definition of targets and regular monitoring for the implementation circular systemic approaches.
Jurijs Grizans, Senior Expert at ICLEI Europe and representative of BIOMODELS4REGIONS discussed their tools that are designed to support regional bioeconomy governance, including governance analysis, monitoring, and development planning tools.
Dr. Gitanjali Thakur from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology and representative of ROBIN’s sister project BIOTRANSFORM presented how the sustainability assessment tool can contribute to optimising regional bioeconomy pathways.
María Rosell from GEONARDO, representing CEE2ACT, focused on empowering Central and Eastern European countries to formulate circular bioeconomy strategies.
Lastly, Jana Bielikova from PEDAL Consulting introduced the SUSTRACK Monitoring Tool. The tool aims to help users access indicators, data, and methods that enhance their understanding of effective management for transitioning to a Circular Biobased Economy while linking indicators with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Conclusions
As we see, multiple tools are being developed, each one dedicated to a different use. ROBIN’s First Mutal Learning Workshop facilitated the exchange of best practices, and fostered networking and collaboration among diverse bioeconomy stakeholders, paving the way for future advancements in regional circular bioeconomy strategies.
The key takeaways generated by this event set the base for ongoing dialogue and innovation in the field whereas the outcomes of the workshop conclude with some points which highlight the need for an early establishment of mutual learning to avoid replication of methodologies, tools and results.
