CIRCULAR seeks to boost the social innovation ecosystem in Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos by bringing together and reinforcing the links between Teaching, Research, Innovation and Society in order to collaboratively design and test innovative solutions to mitigate waste management problems, promote circular economy approaches and improve the quality of life of local communities.

It will pursue the following specific objectives:
– Design a new collaborative model for reinforcing HEIs’ third mission and for enhancing effective and successful
Knowledge Square cooperation for social innovation with a specific focus on the topic of circular economy.
– Enhance community-based participatory research and citizen science at the same time promoting a new pedagogical framework for embedding community engagement actions as part of Higher Education study programmes.
– Set-up Living Labs as open innovation ecosystems that integrate education, research, development and innovation,
and regional development to help trigger the adoption of green and more sustainable practices and a more efficient use of resources.
– Build the capacities of academics to design, organise and implement collaborative social innovation programmes that promote students’ active citizenship and simultaneously contribute to solve everyday sustainability and climate-change problems.
– Build the capacities of researchers on new methodologies and updated strategies to conduct community-based research activities on the topic of circular economy and waste management.
– Empower students and young people to become socially-engaged, climate-conscious and active citizens and raise the awareness of students, young people and members of local communities on the topic of circular economy and sustainable development, and promote alternative consumption habits and waste management practices underpinned by knowledge, research and innovation generated by Higher Education Institutions.

The official website of CIRCULAR Project is: https://circularproject.org/