STUDENT COMPETITION

Circular transformation

of the economy
Developing an industrial symbiosis strategy.

REGISTRATION

General Information about the Competition

Organizing entity: Institute for Innovation and Responsible Development

Duration of the task: June 1, 2024 - October 22, 2024

Competition Finale: October 22, 2024

Target group: Undergraduate, graduate and PhD students currently studying at the university in any country.

COMPETITION TASK

TERMS & CONDITIONS

REGISTRATION

COMPETITION PROGRESS:

Stage 1: REGISTRATION
Dates: June 1 - August 19, 2024
Interdisciplinary teams or individual participants register to take part in the competition.

Stage 2: TEAM FORMATION
Dates: August 20 - August 31, 2024
Individually registered participants will be grouped into interdisciplinary intercollegiate teams.

Stage 3: EDUCATION
Dates: September 1 - September 15, 2024
Teams will receive access to an online lecture by a leading Circular Economy manager discussing the latest practical and scientific challenges, and to an online workshop on circular business models and industrial symbiosis with practical examples.

Stage 4: CONTEST TASK
Dates: September 1 - October 11, 2024
During this stage, project teams will complete the competition task, which involves developing and describing a strategy for circular industrial symbiosis presented in the first stage of the contest. The strategy must include a current market analysis, identification of bottlenecks, opportunities, and possibilities in selected economic sectors, proposing the implementation of industrial symbiosis, addressing legislative challenges, creating an implementation plan, and planning marketing activities. The task should be presented as a presentation, which the entire project team will present to the Jury during the Finale.

Stage 5: COMPETITION FINALE
Date: October 22, 2024
The competition finale and a student conference will be held on October 22, with invited international guests participating in Circular Week, including representatives from the European Commission and Holland Circular Hotspot.

Ten teams who will win in the Jury's selection will be invited to the Finale. The Finale will begin with introductory lectures by Circular Economy experts. Each team will then present their contest task to the Jury and the audience.

The Jury, composed of representatives from collaborating universities, will select the finalists.

AWARDS

Finalists will receive cash prizes in the amount of:

First Prize: 5000 PLN

Second Place: 3000 PLN

Third Place: 2000 PLN

The final project will also have the opportunity to be presented on the main stage during the key conference of Circular Week 2024 - the European Sustainability Congress, which will take place the next day (October 23, 2024).

The event will be broadcast online and can be watched in real time at any of the collaborating universities in one of the designated rooms/auditoriums.

COMPETITION TASK

OBJECTIVE OF THE COMPETITION TASK: Presentation of an industrial symbiosis strategy for selected industries in Poland with justification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TOPIC:

The industrial sector worldwide is undergoing significant changes. Companies are adopting more efficient technologies, seeking low-

impact raw materials, and adapting to markets and regulations that increasingly value sustainability efforts. These transformations are occurring in the context of global challenges such as the triple planetary crisis encompassing climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution.

Despite these efforts, progress towards a more sustainable future is still insufficient, happening too slowly and on too small a scale. One possible solution is to demonstrate the benefits of collaboration for efficient resource use. Industrial symbiosis, as an approach to commercial activities involving the use, recovery, and redirection of resources for reuse, can be a significant solution. Keeping resources in productive economic use for longer creates business opportunities, reduces the demand for natural resources, and supports the circular economy.

These actions start with simple but well-analyzed ideas. This is the purpose of our student competition, to which we warmly invite you. In the first stage, we ask you to prepare a description of an innovative industrial symbiosis between two or more companies that could be implemented in Poland.

TASK FORMAT:

The main task is to develop a presentation of the solution.

Outline suggestion:

Introduction