The project aimed to train future professionals to address the circular transition with socio-citizen commitment. To achieve this, the Circular and SOC Learning Hub (CIRC.LE) was established, a platform connecting students, faculty, experts, decision-makers, and society at large to collaboratively address the challenges of circularity with social and citizen responsibility. Through the Hub and partner universities, students participated in Circular Experiences, working in transnational teams guided by multidisciplinary faculty and experts. Furthermore, the project developed and shared open educational resources, provided good practices for the assessment of circular and SOCg competences, and fostered participatory learning. The long-term goal was to establish a sustainable model for the integration and assessment of SOCg competences in higher education, contributing to the development of the European Engineer profile.
Bachelor's and master's programs at technical universities have traditionally focused primarily on developing students' technical skills, but it is clear that these are not sufficient to train professionals committed to the sustainability paradigm and socially responsible. The challenges of modern society require professionals to develop transversal and long-term competencies, including social, citizenship, and sustainability competencies, to ensure awareness of the environmental and social impact of their work. The project has addressed the need to integrate these competencies into university training for technical degrees (engineering), fostering a mindset that considers the principles of the circular economy and systems thinking. By integrating social and civic participation into technical training, the project aims to prepare students to face real-life challenges from a holistic perspective, balancing innovation with sustainability.