Project description
Setting a new course for the bio-based economy
The bio-based products sector is a priority area for the EU. Bio-based products can make the economy more sustainable and lower its dependence on fossil fuels. This is why training a new generation of researchers in this field is important. The EU-funded BioBased ValueCircle project will train early-stage researchers in a set of 12 interlinked doctoral projects, providing them valuable insight into the industry and academic research environments. The doctoral projects will cover the conversion of biomass to materials as well as the development of materials into applications, the environmental and economic impact of bio-based materials and the societal changes required to transition Europe from an oil-based to a circular bio-based economy.
Objective
BioBased ValueCircle offers a unique interdisciplinary research and training environment tailored for early stage researchers (ESRs) excited by the development of innovative bio-based products, respecting the principles of the circular economy. New materials are urgently needed to enable a transition from an oil-based to a bio-based economy, thus reducing pollution and the threat of climate change.
The programme brings together cutting edge research and development spanning the bio-based materials value circle, involving companies (including SMEs) and academic institutes from across Europe. The objective is to train ESRs in a set of 12 interlinked doctoral projects that cover the conversion of biomass to materials, the development of materials into applications, the environmental and economic impact of bio-based materials, and the societal changes required to transition Europe from an oil-based to a circular bio-based economy. Together the ESRs will contribute to the development of a common language and methodology to stimulate cooperation along the value circle and speed up the product development process. The stimulating research projects will be co-supervised by the industry and academic participants to provide each ESR with valuable insight into the industry and academic research environments, and will be paired with a range of inspiring training modules that reflect the unique interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial environment created by BioBased ValueCircle, including training relevant to the bio-based industries and to academic, industrial and transferrable skills. This ensures that we address the values of the European Industrial Doctorates Programme by producing a new generation of researchers who will benefit from cross-cutting skills that allow them to thrive in both industry and academia, leading to more cooperation between these sectors and enhancing the competitiveness of Europe.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsbioeconomy
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
Programme(s)
Coordinator
6200 MD Maastricht
Netherlands