BIOSPARK

BIOSPARK will be a game-changer for Europe’s skills and capacity in circular bio-based systems. Building on Bio-Based Education Centres (BIObec), the European Bioeconomy University (EBU) Alliance, and the Central and Eastern European Initiative for Knowledge-based Agriculture, Aquaculture and Forestry (BIOEAST) University Network (UniNet), it will create a pan-European network of 27 Bio-Based Education Centres (BBECs) covering all European Union Member States (EU-27), serving as regional anchors for education, training, and mutual learning, and together forming a European reference hub for bioeconomy and circularity skills.

The project tackles urgent needs: fragmented training frameworks, shortage of skilled professionals, limited inclusion of Widening countries, and weak academia–industry collaboration. BIOSPARK adopts a systemic, multi-actor approach, engaging the quadruple helix to co-create and deploy curricula, training actions, and lifelong learning pathways.

Objectives

• Set up and consolidate the BIOSPARK network of universities, research and technology centres, and industry.  
• Ensure effective involvement of widening countries.  
• Develop a set of 14 curricula (11 online and 3 onsite) for education and training, as well as retraining, reskilling, and upskilling in the field of circular bio-based systems, targeting students and professionals.  
• Conduct a pilot test of the proposed curricula involving real end users.  
• Raise awareness on the need to optimise the education and training for circular bio-based systems as to ensure the right talent can drive the bioeconomy transition in Europe.