More Sustainability in the EU  [26.11.24]

8 partner universities, 21 joint EU projects in education and research, 172 students: The 5-year balance sheet of the European Bioeconomy University (EBU) is impressive. Six leading European universities in the field of bioeconomy joined forces to form this alliance in 2019 on the initiative of the University of Hohenheim, and in 2023 they were joined by two further members. Their ambitious goal was to carry out research, teaching, and innovation for a smart, climate-friendly, and sustainable economy in Europe. Last week, those involved met in Brussels to celebrate the anniversary together with guests from the worlds of business and politics.

The bioeconomy is seen as the key to developing solutions for today’s most pressing problems: It can contribute to food security and the sustainable use of resources, reduce dependence on non-renewable resources, and mitigate climate change to help make the European economy more sustainable and competitive.

These are the goals that all EBU members have had firmly in mind for the past five years. Last week, they met for the anniversary event in Brussels. The founding members of the alliance are AgroParisTech (APT), the Universities of Bologna (UniBo), Eastern Finland (UEF) and Hohenheim, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), and the Wageningen University and Research Center (WUR). Over the years, it has expanded to include the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW) and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), as well as strategic partnerships with organizations such as BIOEAST, European Bioplastics, and the European Forest Institute.

EBU Chair: Handing over the baton to the University of Eastern Finland

At the event, BOKU handed over the chair of the EBU to the University of Eastern Finland. All members take turns as the chair. The University of Hohenheim, whose President Prof. Dr. Stephan Dabbert initiated the EBU, kicked things off in 2019.

“Prof. Dr. Dabbert was a pioneer for European cooperation in the field of bioeconomy,” stated Prof. Dr. Iris Lewandowski, Chief Bioeconomy Officer at the University of Hohenheim. “With his visionary leadership, he made a significant contribution to making the European Bioeconomy University a shining example of how universities can work together to create the scientific basis for a sustainable future.”

The voice of youth counts

The EBU is based on three pillars: Training a new generation of experts, promoting research into the bioeconomy, and transferring knowledge to society and the economy.

Particular attention is paid to involving the younger generation. “The bioeconomy is the future, and young people must therefore be actively involved in shaping it,” said Prof. Dr. Andreas Pyka, Vice President for International Affairs. “At the University of Hohenheim, dialog with students is therefore an integral part of our governance.”

Bioeconomy needs a new generation of experts

The EBU partner institutions meet every two years to exchange ideas at the EBU Scientific Forum. The alliance has also acquired over 20 joint EU projects.

Around 64 Master’s students have taken part in the exchange programs so far – for example via the “EBU Label” project, which was coordinated by the University of Hohenheim from 2020–2023. Fifteen students have already received their label. 

In addition, the FOEBE+ project is in full swing. Every year, it enables over 100 students, including some from Hohenheim, to gain entrepreneurship experience through exchange weeks at partner universities.

Bioeconomy needs targeted, joint research

In research, the EBU Alliance creates a framework for excellent interdisciplinary and transnational research. The successfully completed projects are examples of how innovative research can contribute to solving current challenges in agriculture and food production.

The most recent EBU project is DESTINY, a joint doctoral network with the possibility of binational doctorates (co-tutelle). The research program develops practical methods for assessing the sustainability of agricultural and forestry systems that provide biomass for the bioeconomy. Fifteen doctoral students will begin their work in 2025.

Bioeconomy needs knowledge transfer into business and society

We need to transfer knowledge if we want to drive forward the sustainability transformation of the economy and society in Europe. One example of this is the successfully completed BIOBec project, which laid the foundations for the establishment of European Biobased Education Centers.

These platforms bundle further education offers and promote the transfer of knowledge for specialists and the public. The Hohenheim Bioeconomy Office is already working intensively on the practical implementation of these platforms, which are of strategic importance to the EU Commission. They ensure that the results of projects remain usable beyond the project duration.

Looking to the future

The EBU will continue to provide influential ideas for research and teaching in the field of bioeconomy. For example, it will revise the European Bioeconomy Strategy to reflect the results of a workshop hosted by the European Commission. In the workshop, the future path of education in bioeconomy was discussed. Besides Prof. Lewandowski, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Ramona Weinrich (Department of Consumer Behavior in the Bioeconomy) and Dr. Evelyn Reinmuth (State Office for Bioeconomy) also travelled to Brussels for the workshop.

In future, the EBU will network even more closely with industry, for example by developing teaching formats for vocational training or promoting start-up ecosystems.

The University of Hohenheim remains true to this course: With Master’s degree courses such as “Bioeconomy,” “Sustainable Biobased Technology,” and the Bachelor’s program “Biobased Products and Bioenergy,” the University of Hohenheim is already ideally positioned to train experts who will shape the bioeconomy in a sustainable way.

Text: Elsner