3rd CiRCLETECH Summer School Advances Multidisciplinary Solutions for the Circular Economy and Energy Transition

Under the theme “Multidisciplinary Pathways for the Circular Economy and Energy Transition,” this year’s program featured expert lectures, interactive workshops, and field visits that connected theory with real-world applications. The summer school was opened by Mohammad Jaber with an engaging icebreaker session to foster collaboration from day one.

The main topics included the following:

• Green hydrogen production and pumped hydro storage as viable solutions for decarbonizing energy systems;
• Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) in the context of battery technologies, geopolitics, and global supply chains;
• The social and political dimensions of the energy transition, featuring perspectives on China, the EU Clean Industrial Act, and system thinking strategies;
• Sustainable waste management, with lectures and site visits to a local biogas plant and hazardous waste incinerator.

The event featured renowned speakers such as Jeremy Faludi (systems thinking expert), Marianna Vadászi (hydrogen engineer and department head), Sándor Nagy (CRM industry expert), and Ana Stojilovska (policy researcher) contributed their expertise, alongside several industrial partners and academic leaders from the University of Miskolc.

A highlight of the summer university was the Science Café and panel discussion on building international research partnerships, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue, and exploring the exploitation of research results.

The summer school also featured a social dinner and a scientific hiking trip to Lillafüred, offering opportunities for networking and informal knowledge exchange in nature.

The event, organized around the University of Miskolc’s participation in the CiRCLETECH project, reflected a strong commitment to fostering skills, partnerships, and innovative thinking within the European academic and professional landscape in response to climate and resource challenges.