On Wednesday 20 November 2024, a delegation of BioGov.net project including FVA, AVANS, ART and members of the BioGov.net Communities of Practice, participated among the experts invited in the European Commission’s DG Research & Innovation workshop in Brussels entitled “Bioeconomy education to enable the transition to a competitive, regenerative, and fair (bio)economy. Building the next union of skills in the bioeconomy”.
This event gathered around 100 experts in bioeconomy education to discuss concrete future policy needs on this subject to be addressed in the update of the European Bioeconomy Strategy. Participants included high-level policy makers such as Joanna Drake – Deputy Director-General: Planet, People and Science for Policy – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, Peter Wehrheim – Head of Unit, Bioeconomy & Food Systems – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, Giuseppe Pellegrino – Policy Officer, Bioeconomy & Food Systems – Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, Ioana Dewandeler, Policy Officer Higher Education – DG Education and Culture of the European Commission and Norbert Lins, Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
In this occasion, our project partner Susanna Albertini from FVA presented the outcomes of the recent BioGov.net EU workshop “What’s Next for Bioeconomy Education?”, held on October 29, which brought together engaged 60 experts, educators, and policymakers, representing 34 EU projects and initiatives to discuss educational and policy recommendations for future VET and Life-Long Learning strategies.
Finally, world café breakout groups were organised among the invited experts, allowing focused group discussions on critical topics. Participants divided in the different tables explored questions such as “What role can bioeconomy education play in upskilling the bioeconomy workforce of our society?” and “What policy actions can support these efforts?”. These intimate, collaborative dialogues allowed for a deeper dive into challenges and opportunities, generating targeted insights and actionable recommendations to bridge education, workforce development, and policy support for the bioeconomy at different educational levels.
Author: Selenia Marinelli
