Circular Economy

Our global society is not sustainable. We all know about the challenges we’re facing: waste, climate change, resource scarcity, loss of biodiversity. At the same time, we want to sustain our economies and offer opportunities for a growing world population. This course is about providing solutions we really believe in: a Circular Economy.

In this course we explore the Circular Economy: how businesses can create value by reusing and recycling products, how designers can come up with amazingly clever solutions, and how you can contribute to make the Circular Economy happen.

You will learn to re-think the economic system you’re experiencing every day, and act upon it. Be a leader in this major paradigm shift! Shape a more circular future together with our global network.

The course is led by TU Delft and co-created with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for Sustainability.

What you'll learn

• Episode 1: What is the circular economy?
• How can the circular economy provide solutions to the challenges our current, linear economy brings? We explore the roots of the circular economy together with experts in the fields of industrial ecology, cradle to cradle and biomimicry.
• Episode 2: Business value in a circular economy
• Through closed loop supply chains and reversed logistics, new opportunities for business are created. This episode explores value creation and new business models in a circular economy.
• Episode 3: Longer lasting products
• The smaller the loop, the greater the profitability of the system. We look at product life extension through the eyes of designers and entrepreneurs. Join us in our repair café!
• Episode 4: Remanufacturing
• Remanufacturing enables companies to recapture value on a product or component level. It is currently being rediscovered as a promising business opportunity. We’ll explore the topic together with researchers and entrepreneurs.
• Episode 5: Waste equals Food
• This episode discusses how we can take inspiration from nature, when redesigning the way we deal with waste. We'll present a fascinating circular case study. Can you identify opportunities for change in your own area’s?
• Episode 6: Thinking in systems
• The shift from linear to circular should not be underestimated. This episode will discuss the extent and duration of the transition. It will also ask, is the circular economy really sustainable?
• Episode 7: Full Circle
• We end the course with a selection of your narratives for a circular economy. A final exam will test your knowledge acquired over the past 6 episodes.