CIRCLE project strengthens secondary students’ understanding of circular economy and entrepreneurship in Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Malta and The Netherlands; nine modules
CIRCLE - Circular Innovation and Resilience through Challenge-based Learning and Entrepreneurship in the Young Innovators education programme
The Circular Innovation and Resilience through Challenge-based Learning and Entrepreneurship in the Young Innovators education programme (CIRCLE) is an Erasmus+ project focused on strengthening secondary school students’ understanding of the circular economy and encouraging them to become future entrepreneurs and responsible citizens with a strong awareness of sustainability. The project is implemented across five European countries: Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Malta and The Netherlands.
Through educational programmes, practical learning activities and teacher training, CIRCLE connects sustainability and climate-related knowledge with real-life applications. It supports educators with interdisciplinary methods for teaching complex global challenges and gives students opportunities to explore how circular economy principles, entrepreneurship and more sustainable behaviours can contribute to societal change.
At its core, CIRCLE uses a collaborative, practically oriented and interdisciplinary learning approach. It draws on key European competences from the EIT Climate-KIC Young Innovators Framework and the EntreComp Framework, combining challenge-based learning, visual collaboration tools, systems innovation and entrepreneurial thinking. Students are encouraged to explore sustainability challenges in local and wider societal contexts, work collaboratively, engage with relevant stakeholders and develop practical responses to real problems.
The approach supports the development of a broad range of green competences. Students strengthen systems and critical thinking by exploring the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability and by examining existing production, consumption and business practices. They learn to break down complex climate challenges into more manageable and actionable problems, consider alternative future scenarios, test new ideas and work collectively towards solutions. In this way, CIRCLE also supports sustainability values, awareness of the relationship between human activity and nature, exploratory thinking, futures literacy and collective action.
A central activity of CIRCLE is the development, testing and continuous improvement of a secondary school curriculum focused on circularity, sustainability and entrepreneurship. The curriculum consists of nine educational modules that combine knowledge-building, practical application and reflection.
Across the modules, students develop a broad set of sustainability and innovation competences. They learn to understand the links between production, consumption and environmental impact, critically assess sustainability information, and reflect on their own values and responsibilities. The curriculum also strengthens lifecycle and resource-flow thinking, helping students identify waste, risks and possible leverage points for circular innovation.
Students are encouraged to work collaboratively to analyse challenges, generate ideas and develop possible solutions. They explore circular strategies, stakeholder perspectives and value chains, and learn how to create sustainable value through systems redesign. Ideation, prototyping, testing and feedback help them refine their ideas and adapt their solutions as they learn.
The curriculum also develops communication, futures thinking and personal agency. Students practice presenting their ideas clearly and responsibly, consider different future scenarios, reflect on sustainability-related career opportunities, and explore how they can take initiative and contribute to sustainable change.
Together, the nine modules create a learning journey that moves from understanding circularity and sustainability challenges to analyzing systems, developing solutions and communicating ideas. The competences are introduced, practiced and reinforced across the curriculum, allowing students to build both practical skills and a stronger sense of responsibility for their role in a more sustainable and circular economy.
The materials are piloted in schools across all five participating countries and are supported by dedicated teacher training, helping educators integrate sustainability, systems thinking, entrepreneurship and innovative teaching approaches into their classrooms.
Challenge-based learning is put into practice through Young Climathons—climate-focused, hackathon-style events where students work in teams to address challenges relevant to their communities. These activities allow learners to apply their knowledge, frame environmental problems, explore different perspectives, generate ideas and develop solutions using systems thinking, creativity and teamwork. They also help build collaboration, leadership, problem-solving and collective action skills.
A second key focus of the project is the development of a circularity ecosystem connecting entrepreneurs with educators, students and other education stakeholders. Entrepreneurs can share sustainability challenges, offer guidance and mentorship, and provide students with practical examples of circular and sustainable entrepreneurship. These connections help bring education closer to real-world practice and show how entrepreneurship and innovation can support more sustainable ways of living and working.
During the first two years of implementation, CIRCLE has reached participants across all five project countries. A total of 42 schools have taken part in CIRCLE activities, and the educational materials developed through the project have been piloted with more than 1,900 students. These activities have given learners practical opportunities to strengthen their understanding of sustainability, the circular economy and entrepreneurship.
More than 1,000 students have participated in climate-based hackathons, applying their knowledge to sustainability challenges through collaborative and challenge-based learning. In addition, 92 educators have been trained in the use of the CIRCLE educational materials and other innovative teaching approaches, supporting them in integrating sustainability and climate-related topics into their teaching.
The project has also engaged 22 entrepreneurs as part of its circularity ecosystem, helping connect education with sustainable business practice. Their involvement supports knowledge exchange, mentorship and the sharing of practical challenges, while giving students concrete examples of how circular entrepreneurship can contribute to a more sustainable economy.
Through these activities, CIRCLE addresses several key areas of Education for Climate Innovation: connecting sustainability and scientific knowledge with educational practice; raising climate and environmental awareness; encouraging more sustainable behaviors and mindsets; developing practical green skills and competences; and strengthening teachers’ capacity to teach sustainability-related topics.
Overall, CIRCLE helps move sustainability education beyond primarily theoretical learning towards active participation, experimentation and practical application. By connecting schools, educators, entrepreneurs and communities, the project encourages young people to see themselves as active contributors to change and supports them in developing the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to participate in a more sustainable, resilient and circular economy.
CIRCLE - Circular Innovation and Resilience through Challenge-based Learning and Entrepreneurship in the Young Innovators education programme
2.1 | Education for Climate priority
develop green skills and competences
SDG (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities
2.4 | GreenComp: sustainability competence focus
1.1 Valuing sustainability (Embodying Sustainability Values)
1.3 Promoting nature (Embodying Sustainability Values)
2.1 Systems thinking (Embracing Complexity in Sustainability)
2.2 Critical thinking (Embracing Complexity in Sustainability)
2.3 Problem framing (Embracing Complexity in Sustainability)
3.2 Adaptability (Envisioning Sustainable Futures)
3.3 Exploratory thinking (Envisioning Sustainable Futures)
4.2 Collective action (Acting for Sustainability)
4.3 Individual initiative (Acting for Sustainability)
2.6 | related EU initiative
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