The ECO4ALL COST Action (CA22124) successfully hosted its 1st Training School on “Empowering Sustainable Consumption: A SWOT Analysis of Circular Economy Strategies in Consumer Protection” from February 12–14, 2025, at Harokopio University in Athens, Greece. This three-day event brought together trainers and trainees from across the COST member countries to explore innovative strategies for promoting sustainable consumption and circular economy policies. The Training School was organized in collaboration with trainers and trainees from the COST Action LIAISE, with a total of 6 trainers and 19 trainees participating.
The training school featured expert lectures, interactive workshops, and collaborative sessions aimed at equipping participants with practical tools for analyzing and implementing circular economy strategies.
Key highlights from the Training School
The first day focused on community-based circular economies, led by Gerry Aiken, followed by an in-depth discussion on urban circular economy policies and macroeconomic parameters of circularity, presented by Agisilaos Economou and Isidora Milošević.
On the second day, participants explored Industrial Symbiosis (IS) and its role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with insights from Merim Kasumovic and Apostolos Michopoulos. The afternoon sessions emphasized strategic management and consumer empowerment in circular economy, with a SWOT analysis workshop conducted by Isidora Milošević and Gerry Aiken.
The final day featured poster presentations of participant insights, followed by a collaborative roadmap development session, where attendees worked on strategic action plans for advancing circular economy policies. The training school concluded with certificate distribution and closing reflections led by Plotnic Olesea and Isidora Milošević.
A step forward in circular economy research and collaboration
The ECO4ALL Training School fostered knowledge exchange, skill development, and cross-disciplinary networking, equipping participants with:
- Expertise in SWOT analysis for circular economy policy planning
- Advanced economic modeling techniques for sustainability assessment
- Practical insights from European case studies on circular economy strategies
- Stronger international collaborations to drive future research and innovation
The Program of the 1st Training School ECO4ALL might be consulted here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tz2USaL5QXdjF5XdRA4rRjMUWrg-2-Zc/view?usp=drive_link
For further details on the training school, including key takeaways and recorded sessions, visit the ECO4ALL Facebook page and access event materials at Facebook Event Links and Workshop Highlights.
Project Information
HOST INSTITUTION:
Harokopio University of Athens
Location:
Athens, Greece
Date:
February 12-14, 2025
