Master in Circular Economy Management

This Master's Program is designed for professionals with at least 2 years of work experience who wish to gain specialistic knowledge and skills on the Circular Economy and aim to advance their careers within private companies, public administrations, international institutions, and NGOs.

Managers

who want to acquire a circular mindset and learn new knowledge and skills to access new managerial positions within their organization. Areas of expertise: Energy, Mobility, Waste, Product and Project management.

Entrepreneurs

who want either to specialize or begin a career in the sustainability sector and thus attract clients who are transitioning from a linear to a circular business model.

Consultants

who want to gain a competitive advantage in the market by leading their companies to adopt the principles of the Circular Economy.

Program Structure

Module 1: Becoming a Sustainable Mind

Behaving sustainably is a time-consuming and challenging process, however, actions alone might not be enough to move towards sustainability. We should learn which actions impact our environment and society and what we can do to avoid them. To behave virtuously, therefore, we must start thinking sustainably. We need to become sustainable minds.

Module 2: Basics to Circular Economy

This module explores in detail the characteristics of the Circular Economy model. In particular, it contextualizes the model within European and international legislation (including future scenarios), focusing on underlying operating mechanisms and drivers. Additionally, the module addresses the circular economy models within the wider category of sustainable strategies to provide the participants with the knowledge and tools to understand the subject and to develop an effective circular strategy, in every working context.

Module 3: Technological and Sustainable Innovation

We are living in a period of dramatic changes. Technological innovation and digitalization dematerialized and drastically reduced the consumption of raw materials. IoT makes daily-life solutions increasingly agile. By 2050, 70% of the world's population will be living in the urban areas and cities will by then turn into Circular Cities. These are all social and economic factors that the participants will analyze to have a clear picture of all the levers of the Circular Economy, as an effective strategy.

Module 4: Sustainable Input: Raw Materials exploitation and Energy Circularity

The Circular Economy can cope with the scarcity of raw materials and the consequent increase in prices.

Many are the causes of the current shortage of resources: the increase in demand for raw materials; the climate crisis that affects the ability of the ecosystems to regenerate resources; the pandemic that has impacted the global economy; the conflict in Ukraine which has exacerbated Europe’s energy fragility. The participant will study product design processes that use raw materials in which circularity plays a fundamental role in terms of efficient use of resources but also for effective end-of-life strategies.

Module 5: Sustainable Input Focus: Water Circularity

Water is perhaps the most-wanted resource on the planet. Drought and pollution of aquifers are urgent problems we are facing today. For this reason, public administrations, private citizens, and companies must completely rethink the way in which they use water, to ensure that all processes are as efficient as possible when it comes to preserving this resource.

Module 6: Product as Service and Sharing Regeneration, + Recycling and Reuse

Regeneration, Recycling, and Reuse are perhaps the most representative business models of the Circular Economy. In the past few years, many companies have decided to radically change their business strategy taking advantage of Circular models, such as PaaS or Sharing, against their competitors. This module studies how companies apply circular models while carrying out their businesses and sales activities.

Module 7: Operations Management, Supply Chain, Industrial Symbiosis

This module addresses some of the most delicate topics in the construction of a circular economy strategy, such as, for example, the issues behind the management of the supply chain. Industrial symbiosis is one of the most powerful tools that a company can use to support the circular transition of its production systems. The main advantage of this process is turning the waste of a company into a resource for another, thus linking apparently unrelated production processes with great environmental, economic, and social benefits for all those involved in the supply chain, including local communities. The Circular Economy is truly implemented when suppliers and customers become an integral part of the process.

Module 8: Environmental Law and Legislation

Europe, which has always played a leading role in adopting innovative environmentally responsible policies and in promoting sustainable economic models, will be able to make the transition to this new model. The Commission will continue its efforts to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. In addition to the "Fit for 55%" package, presented in 2021 as part of the European Green Deal, the Commission will propose a regulatory framework for the certification of carbon removals. It also intends to: take further measures for zero-emission mobility, for example by revising the CO2 emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles; following up on the "zero pollution" action plan to improve water and air quality; establishing new rules on the sustainable use of pesticides; promoting the circular economy by strengthening the right of consumers to repair products rather than replace them. In addition, the Commission will mobilize resources that will add to the already proposed Social Climate Fund, doubling external funding for biodiversity. Green bonds will also play an increasingly important role.

Module 9: Certification Systems

A project that leads a company to a circular certification must be aimed at achieving a value that is not merely formal. The goal must be to define a set of principles, procedures, and processes that the company decides to adopt to function efficiently. In this module, the participants will study different sustainability certifications, with a particular focus on the latest certifications and evaluation metrics of the Circular Economy. They will learn about international working groups that are currently operating and what their prospects of evolution are. Ultimately, the module aims to provide Circular Economy Managers with a set of skills that enables them to autonomously choose the best certification for their product and their organization.

Module 10: Marketing and Communication Strategies

This module will explore effective communication strategies of the Circular Economy, in the context of marketing plans and sustainability communication strategies. The effectiveness of these strategies is linked to practical factors in the application of the principles within the organization in which the circular economy manager operates. These factors are fundamental to avoid both compromising the overall sustainability strategy and greenwashing accusations. Participants will learn to use their social media tools to communicate their company strategies, projects, and ideas on the subject. This process represents a fundamental step for the creation of a professional profile that can evolve over time, gaining credibility in the job market.

Thanks to the contribute of the leading experts in the field of the circular economy and companies that are innovating by rethinking products and services in a circular perspective, by enrolling in the Master's program, you will be able to:

• Confidently innovate existing products and services in a circular perspective;
• Directly connect with companies in each phase of the value chain;
• Examine concrete cases, real challenges in circular product and/or process, and direct interactions with business representatives.