International Collaboration Circle on
“Circular Economy and Land Europe Sobriety Trajectory” (CELEST)
Dates: 4 – 5, and 12 December – 1 hour and a half for each session
Location: online, but there is an option to attend the first two sessions in person at UT Capitole (the last session will remain online).
Application phase: 29 September to 27 October
Format: Hybrid
Purpose and Goals
The Collaboration Circle is a three-session workshop series launching on 4 December 2025, during the CELEST plenary seminar. Its purpose is to identify relevant and practical research questions by collaboratively defining challenges through a structured process. These outcomes will serve as the foundation for future research and collaboration projects within the CELEST initiative.
Topic
Urban expansion and sustainable land management have degraded over 60% of European soils, accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss. The EU’s 2023 Soil Monitoring Directive—the first regulation of its kind—aims to restore ecosystem health by 2050, though its ambition remains debated. The CELEST project responds by exploring circular economy solutions for urban wasteland, focusing on policies and best practices to transform unused spaces into sustainable assets.
This Collaboration Circle will bring together researchers, external partners, and students from at least three ENGAGE.EU universities. Through structured sessions, participants will address challenges at the intersection of sustainable land use, urban efficiency, and circular economy, particularly in brownfield redevelopment. The results will directly inform the future development of the CELEST project, ensuring its activities are grounded in real-world needs and interdisciplinary expertise.
Participants will represent three key groups:
- Researchers
- External partners
- Students
Dates and Times
- Duration: 90 min
- Online, via Zoom, or in-person for the first 2 sessions.
- Dates:
- 4 December 2025 – 11:00-12:30 (hybrid)
- 5 December 2025 – 12:00-13:30 (hybrid)
- 12 December 2025 – 12:00-13:30 (online)
- Optional: continuing on an XP+
Session Structure
Session 1: Introduction, CELEST Conference input
- Initial conference on overarching challenges and perspectives from ENGAGE.EU external partners (Helsinki City and Toulouse Metropole).
Session 2: Deep Dive into Problem Areas
- Participant introductions and stakeholder mapping.
- Based on the initiatives presented during the conference, collaborative refinement of topics and identification of overlapping interests.
Session 3: Finalisation of Research Questions
- Define one or more actionable research questions that align with academic and external partner needs.
Methodology and Approach
- Participatory Approach: Highly interactive sessions with discussions, group work, and exercises to incorporate all perspectives.
- Networking: Promote long-term relationships and collaborations among participants.
Application Requirements
Your Profile
The ENGAGE.EU Collaboration Circle is targeted at students, PhDs candidates and Researchers at any career stage. Participants of any citizenship and any field of study who are enrolled in or affiliated with an ENGAGE.EU partner university are welcome to apply.
Application
To apply for the Collaboration Circle “CELEST” you should provide:
- A short letter (max. 300 words) explaining your motivation for applying to the ENGAGE.EU Collaboration Circle.
- Curriculum vitae (education, work experience, language skills, study/work abroad, other relevant skills and experiences),
All documents must be submitted in English.
Selection
Submitted applications are evaluated by the academics and management staff of the ENGAGE.EU Labs. Candidates will be evaluated based on their motivation letter and CV. In order to ensure equal participation, the selection committee will aim at choosing three students from each partner university. Final decisions also consider a range of criteria for cohort composition, including but not limited to disciplinary balance, institutional diversity, and demographic diversity.
Disclaimers
Disclaimer 1: The calendar of the Collaboration Circle at UT Capitole might be incompatible with some academic calendars of Erasmus, Exchange Partners, Double Degree or other mobility programs. Students interested in both programs are kindly requested to check academic calendars accordingly.
Disclaimer 2: This email is sent to manage and facilitate your participation in the educational and/or extracurricular activities organized by the University.