The Kick-off Meeting for the GreenSTEM: STEM Entrepreneurship for Green Circular Economy project was hosted by Sakarya University in Türkiye, bringing together project partners from Türkiye, Spain, and Ukraine. Supported under the EIT Higher Education Initiative, the project aims to enhance the capacity of higher education institutions in green and circular economy, STEM education, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
The four-day meeting served as a pivotal starting point where partners convened to evaluate the project's core objectives, work plan, and upcoming activities.
During the first two days of the meeting, the project's Work Packages, activities, partner responsibilities, expected deliverables, and implementation roadmaps were thoroughly discussed. Partners presented their respective areas of responsibility and exchanged insights on effective activity execution.
Through sessions dedicated to evaluating the project timeline, collaborative workflows, and immediate milestones, a shared operational framework was established. These discussions reinforced coordination among consortium members and laid solid ground for an aligned, cohesive implementation phase.
On the third day of the program, the Pre-COP31 Needs Assessment Workshop took place. The workshop explored current needs, pressing challenges, and emerging opportunities across green transition, sustainability, STEM education, and entrepreneurship through multiple stakeholder perspectives.
Enriched by active partner contributions, the workshop yielded critical insights that will shape and calibrate GreenSTEM’s forthcoming activities to address real-world demands.
The four-day agenda wrapped up with a cultural visit to Istanbul, offering project partners an opportunity to experience Türkiye’s rich cultural heritage. Beyond providing a memorable cultural closing to the kick-off program, the excursion helped strengthen interpersonal communication and consortium camaraderie.
Coordinated by Sakarya University, the GreenSTEM project will focus over its 24-month lifespan on fostering institutional capacity in the green and circular economy, STEM education, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Key priorities include:
Strengthening collaboration among higher education institutions, research bodies, industry leaders, and ecosystem stakeholders,
Cultivating innovative and entrepreneurial competencies within STEM fields,
Nurturing novel ideas and ventures that drive the green transition forward.
Uniting partners across Türkiye, Spain, and Ukraine, the GreenSTEM project has officially launched its operational phase with this successful kick-off meeting. Over the next 24 months, the initiative is set to build a resilient, sustainable STEM ecosystem through targeted education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship actions.
