About European Bioeconomy University

Our vision

Creating Europe’s leading intellectual institution for tackling the enormous environmental, economic and societal challenges of the 21stcentury, by:

  • Covering the entire spectrum of bioeconomy dimensions
  • Providing an internationally unique and competitive model for a theme-based, system- and future-oriented university that focuses on inter- and transdisciplinary as well as sectoral and European collaboration
  • Taking university collaboration to a higher level of joint strategy development and to a new governance model, based on shared beliefs and longstanding cooperation

Joint understanding of the Bioeconomy 

Our joint understanding of the bioeconomy reflects that of the Circular Economy Action Plan of the EC (2019). There it is described as follows: “The bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources (animals, plants, micro-organisms and derived biomass, including organic waste), their functions and principles. It includes and interlinks: land and marine ecosystems and the services they provide; all primary production sectors that use and produce biological resources (agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture); and all economic and industrial sectors that use biological resources and processes to produce food, feed, bio-based products, energy and services. To be successful, the European bioeconomy needs to have sustainability and circularity at its heart. This will drive the renewal of our industries, the modernisation of our primary production systems, the protection of the environment and will enhance biodiversity.” (EC, 2018, p. 4). 

The diversity of the knowledge-based bioeconomy extends from farmland and food production through forests to marine ecosystems, from biowaste through innovative products to new business models, and from urban to rural regions. The bioeconomy builds on cross-fertilizations and mutual understanding between various economic sectors, disciplines and governmental, administrative, industrial and societal stakeholders. It is an excellent example of how increased skills cooperation between sectors can link growth strategies, political commitment and involvement at regional, national and EU levels. It provides a valuable contribution to the goals of the New Skills Agenda for Europe, and to the setting of a new balance and improvement of relations between the diverse European regions. This is also in accordance with the revised Bioeconomy Strategy (2018) and Circular Economy Strategy of the European Commission. 

Our mission

is the empowerment of the European knowledge-based bioeconomy

  • educating a new generation of truly European experts
  • fostering rigorous, relevant and responsible research
  • transferring knowledge into society and the economy

European knowledge-based bioeconomy will be driven by necessity and accomplished by intellectual leadership. The European Bioeconomy University will work visibly and effectively to empower the European knowledge-based bioeconomy and accelerate this transition by

  • educating a new generation of truly European experts: Our education and training will exploit the full potential of the future bioeconomy by attracting the best talents and training them as the best suited experts to meet the sector’s needs.
  • fostering rigorous, relevant and responsible research: Excellence in multi- and trans-disciplinary research and innovation form the cornerstone of the European Bioeconomy University. This allows for rigorous, relevant and responsible research.
  • transferring knowledge into society and the economy: The successful transfer of knowledge into the social and economic systems through technological and social innovations will provide evidence of the transformation towards a knowledge-based bioeconomy