On April 24, 2025, the FReINDs Erasmus+ project hosted an exceptionally successful international webinar titled “Digital Industrial Symbiosis: Advancing Sustainability and Innovation.” The event attracted over 130 participants from across Europe and beyond, including researchers, students, professionals, and business support organizations—all united by a shared interest in advancing circular economy and sustainable industrial practices.
This 90-minute online session was a highlight for the FReINDs project, showcasing its latest research findings and demonstrating how digital tools and collaborative approaches can revolutionize resource efficiency and innovation in industry.
A particularly noteworthy aspect of the event was the active involvement of partners from our EDU4PlastiCircular project, who contributed two engaging and insightful presentations:
“Education for Plastic in Circular Economy” by Anca Draghici & Florica Manea (Politehnica University of Timisoara, Romania) and Dana Perniu & Angela Repanovici (Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania), highlighted educational strategies and tools for promoting green skills in the field of plastics and circularity.
“Building Global Impact through Microplastics Awareness and Local Actions” by Anja Bubik (Faculty of Environmental Protection, Velenje, Slovenia), emphasized the importance of local engagement and awareness in addressing the global challenge of microplastics.
The high level of interest and active participation throughout the webinar reflects a growing recognition of the need to integrate digital industrial symbiosis and circular economy education. Discussions during the event reinforced the vital role of inter-project collaboration in creating systemic change and fostering innovation across sectors.
With momentum building from this successful event, both FReINDs and EDU4PlastiCircular continue to strengthen their contributions toward a greener, more sustainable Europe.
