In its three years of deeply engaging in circularity and sustainability, the project CircularCityChallenge created an engaging learning experience for students and educators, supporting participants to discover new values, explore their local communities, and contribute to positive change. Inspired by the European Commission’s ‘Green Competencies’, the developed curriculum and policy recommendations instill a foundational understanding of circularity, while conveying skills such as systems and critical thinking, project management and communication.

CircularCityChallenge pilots in 4 countries

Forming the key pillar of the CircularCityChallenge, the consortium organized a Pan-European contest for ideas on circular interventions in students’ local environments. This initiative empowered young people to propose innovative and sustainable solutions that support a circular way of living. In the four consortium partner countries—Spain, Austria, Romania, and the Netherlands—tailored approaches were implemented, including co-creation and promotion workshops. The contest also featured an open international contest to gather valuable contributions from youth across Europe. The CircularCityChallenge digital platform offered engaging resources and inspirational examples to guide young students in exploring their local environment to create a more circular and sustainable community. The resulting ideas from the youth showcased the huge potential for change through simple means and highlighted the unique perspectives of young people, which are often overlooked. Juries evaluated all contributions based on predefined and transparent criteria to ensure a fair outcome. A generous cash prize of €6.000, sponsored by the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund, was distributed among the winning teams.

Advancing learning assessment in Education for Sustainable Development

Another key effort and achievement of the project was the CircularCityChallenge learning assessment, designed to weave together various strands of knowledge from environmental science to economics in an interdisciplinary approach. It was introduced across diverse educational landscapes, from secondary schools to vocational programs, and even in informal educational events, ensuring it is robust and versatile. For teachers, the assessment framework included a clear system for assigning points to Intended Learning Outcomes, specific indicators for assessing understanding and application of concepts, and a grading system that translated assessment points into standardized grades. Providing students with meaningful, written feedback on their projects was also a vital part of the assessment strategy. This approach acknowledged and valued the students’ contributions, which is fundamental for their motivation and sense of accomplishment. Moreover, it deepened their understanding of circularity thinking by offering constructive insights that went beyond mere grades.

The CircularCityChallenge curriculum

The target audience is 14 to 19-year-old pupils in any educational format—both formal and non-formal settings. Integrating sustainable development education (SDE) with project-based learning (PBL) in both settings provided a dynamic approach for teaching and applying sustainability concepts. In formal education, this approach can be integrated into subjects like science, geography, and economics, encouraging students to tackle real-world sustainability challenges. The resulting projects often involve hands-on activities such as community gardening, local recycling initiatives, or environmental advocacy campaigns, demonstrating the strength of this experiential, flexible framework that promotes community involvement and allows learners to see the direct impacts of their efforts, enhancing their understanding of and commitment to sustainable practices.

Key results to improve circularity education across Europe

Towards the end of the project, the multifaceted experiences were translated into a practical set of key results, outlining innovative policies for integrating sustainability education into schools. These recommendations were designed for ministries of education, local governments, and schools to foster a sustainable future through education. The policy recommendations recognise the complexity of education policy and the importance of balancing top-down implementation processes with bottom-up approaches that leave room for co-implementation and local adaptation. The implementation process itself can enhance education systems by allowing stakeholders – from students and parents to administration and decision-makers – to participate from the outset in shaping policies, thereby ensuring greater impact when these policies reach schools. By promoting these recommendations, the CircularCityChallenge contributes to a more resilient and informed student body capable of addressing the sustainability challenges of the future.

Links

The CircularCityChallenge website: https://project.circularcitychallenge.eu/

The CircularCityChallenge platform: https://circularcitychallenge.eu/

Keywords

Education for Sustainable Development, Circular Economy, Circularity, Youth Empowerment, Urban Planning