ICA-CoP Bio-Edu 2025 Workshop programme

Programme focus

Session 1 Case studies of learning communities for transformation to the Bioeconomy: what worked well and what did not? What have we learnt from these case studies to ensure a learning community delivers positive outcomes for the transformation to the Bioeconomy?
Session 2 Why do we need Learning Communities, the perspectives of different partners: knowledge providers, industry, government and civil society: What to expect from learning communities? How can universities engage?
Session 3 How can the outcomes of learning communities provide policy makers with new and relevant insights in the transformation towards the bioeconomy? What is needed in policy at local, national, regional and EU-level to facilitate effective learning communities ?
Session 4 Discussion: Role of life science universities involvement in Learning Communities - what have we learnt and how can life science universities best contribute to the future development of learning communities for the transformation towards the bioeconomy?

Wednesday 19 November

20.00 Welcome Reception at the Irish College Leuven

Thursday 20 November

9.00	Welcome and Introduction to the Workshop - What do we mean by the concept of a learning community? Mona-Anitta Riihimäki, Chair ICA-CoP Bio-Edu and Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), Finland Ingar Janzik, Forschungszentrum Jülich & Bioeconomy Science Center, Germany
9.15	Quick roundtable introductions
9.20	Time out discussion: what are my take away expectations from this Workshop? Moderator: Kia Partanen, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), Finland https://www.timeoutdialogue.fi/whats-timeout-about/
	Session 1: Learning communities, what can we learn from the existing learning communities [examples from local, region within a country and national level) addressing these questions: - What was the reason to start the learning community? - What is the goal of the community? - What kind of partners are involved? Which partner takes the lead? - Which learnings were most relevant? Please include the experiences where things went wrong. - If you could start again, what would you do differently? Chair: Mona-Anitta Riihimäki, Chair ICA-CoP Bio-Edu and Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), Finland
10.00	BioökonomieREVIER Angelina Eßer, Transformation Manager, BioökonomieREVIER, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
10.20	Urban Living Lab Breda Raymond Sparreboom, Academy for Technology and Innovation, Avans University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands
10.40	Coffee break
11.00	Smart Green Municipality, Forssa Mona-Anitta Riihimäki, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), Finland
11.20	Creating innovation ecosystems to accelerate the development of rural bioeconomy - best practice example from Northeast Germany Christian Theel, Innovation Manager Bioeconomy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
11.40	*TransBIB – German Transfernetwork Boosting Industrial Bioeconomy and lifelong learning* Matthias Scholz, Technical University of Munich, Straubing, Germany
12.00	Discussion: Signposts for Learning Community Success in Leading Transformations to the Bioeconomy Moderator: Kia Partanen, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), Finland
13.00	Lunch

	Session 2: Why do we need Learning Communities, the perspectives of different partners in the quadruple helix Chair: Han van Osch, Avans University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands & Dutch Biobased Knowledge Network
14.00	Introduction
14.10	Setting up and building learning communities for the transition to a biobased and circular economy Annemieke van Barneveld-Biesma, BioBased Circular, Delft, The Netherlands
14.40	Company perspectives: what is the relevance of joining a learning community? Nelo Emerencia, Biobased Industries Consortium, Brussels, Belgium
15.05	National Association perspective, “Bottom-up and top-down approaches to building learning communities to enhance national and regional competitiveness Maria Andrielou, Managing Director Clean Stories and Director & Co-founder, Greek Bioeconomy Council (GBC), Thessaloniki, Greece
15.30	Coffee break
16.00	University perspectives: what is the relevance of joining a learning community? Linda Schetters, Avans University of Applied Sciences & the Netherlands & Dutch Biobased Knowledge Network, The Netherlands Gisell Burgos and Danushsri Ringasamy, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne’s (URCA), Reims, France Sebastian Goerg, TUMCS for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Technical University of Munich, Straubing, Germany
17.00	Closure Day 1
19.30	Dinner - mykene restaurant, muntstraat 44, 3000 Leuven (walking distance of the Irish College)

Friday 21 November

	Session 3 How can the outcomes of learning communities provide policy makers with new and relevant insights in the transformation towards the bioeconomy? Chair: George Sakellaris, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic & BioEast
9.00	Review of day 1 outcomes and aim of Session 3
9.10	The upcoming EU Bioeconomy Strategy: a strategic framework for a competitive and sustainable bioeconomy in Europe Silvia Forni, Policy Officer, DG Environment (Unit B1 ‘Bioeconomy & Sustainable materials’), European Commission, Brussels
9.30	Reflection on the benefit of learning communities in implementing the Commission’s policy in transforming to the bioeconomy Giuseppe Pellegrino, Bioeconomy and Food Systems (B2), DG Research & Innovation, European Commission, BE
9.55	Title Role of Regions in enabling formation of learning communities Sari Rautio, member of the City Council, Hämeenlinna and Regional Council Häme. Chair of European People's Party Group of the EU Commission of Regions. Finland
10.20	Coffee break
10.50	Session 4 Discussion: Role of life science universities involvement in Learning Communities - what have we learnt and how can universities best contribute to the future development of learning communities for the transformation towards the bioeconomy? Moderator: Kia Partanen, Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), Finland
11.50	Closure
12.00	Buffet Lunch