Project funded!
We are happy to announce the start of our project SF-BioVac (Sustainable Futures - Biogas Value Chain for Circular Economy Competence Growth in Zambia). The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and administered by the Finnish National Agency for Education, and it is a cooperation between four Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Finland and Zambia. Novia University of Applied Sciences (Novia UAS) and University of Oulu (UOULU) in Finland, as well as University of Zambia (UNZA) and Copperbelt University (CBU) in Zambia.
The focus of the project is on building capacity in circular economy through the biogas value chain, and to strengthen both technical and pedagogical capacities in the participating HEIs. The aim of the project is hence to contribute to “High-quality, inclusive and working life relevant higher education in Zambia to support sustainable development and the transition towards a circular economy with biogas as an alternative form of energy”
Zambia is currently facing a big challenge in managing waste as it affects both the well-being of the people and the environment. Zambia’s government also has the political will to solve the waste problem and is eager to support cooperation such as this. A recent study Commissioned by AGS / MFA of Finland titled “Zambia Circular Economy Market Study” also highlights the potential of circular economy in Zambia. The potential of Circular Economy does, however, remain unexploited due to the lack of awareness and education in the topic, as identified by the Zambian partner HEIs UNZA and CBU.
In this project, we are going to explore the biogas value chain as a way to introduce and build the foundation of Circular economy (CE) in Zambia making UNZA and CBU the starting point. Through the project, we aim to:
• Improve the institutional capacity of the HEIs in CE to be able provide a work-life relevant education
• Improve students’ and teachers' applied research skills
• Improve and strengthen the university-industry collaboration and
• Widen the awareness of CE and its potential.
The project will popularize the field of circular economy through
a) staff capacity development programme and courses in CE, circular business models and circular design,
b) Circular Innovation Challenge,
c) students project work,
d) practical demonstration and piloting and
e) students and teacher exchange
SF-BioVac was one of seven approved projects within the Higher Education Partnership (HEP) programme. Read more about the HEP programme as well as the other approved HEP projects through these links.
The Higher Education Partnership (HEP) Programme supports cooperation projects between higher education institutions in Finland and the developing world. The projects support the HEIs as they develop their subject-specific, methodological, educational and administrative capacity. The programme is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and administered by the Finnish National Agency for Education.