PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FOR THE PROJECT "WE.CIRCULAR", IN WHICH VFU "CHERNORIZETS HRABER" IS A PARTNER
07 August 2024
"WE.Circular - Boosting digital and industrial capacity for sustainable circular transition of women entrepreneurs in the Danube region", in which the Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship and Innovation - Varna (RAPIV) is the leading partner, was awarded the prestigious title 'Danube Strategy Flagship'. The project, in which Varna Free University is a partner, was selected as one of the three projects with an important impact on the development of the Danube region and the implementation of the EUSDR under the 'Interreg Danube Region 2021-2027' programme. The award was presented by Dr. Patrick Rapp, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Tourism of the State of Baden-Württemberg and Andreja Metelko-Zgombić, State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia.
The project is implemented in the context of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, under the priority area ‘Competitiveness of Enterprises’ and focuses on the development of digital services for the circular economy of small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting the use of plastics and machinery on the way to a circular economy, as well as boosting the digital and industrial capacity of women entrepreneurs for a sustainable circular economy. The project aims to enhance the digital and business skills of women entrepreneurs, equipping key stakeholders with the necessary expertise to develop and implement smart specialization strategies. This initiative supports the transition to Industry 4.0 while incorporating circular economy principles.
The project consortium includes 26 partners from 12 countries of the Danube region and unites national and regional, public and private organizations and universities. The project includes associated strategic partners such as SPIRIT Slovenia, the Ministry of Economy and Industry of Bulgaria, the Ministry of National Economy of Hungary, Association of Women Entrepreneurs Club of Hungary, Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Moldova, Ministry of Science, Higher Education and the Youth of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chamber of Commerce of Styria - Business and Economic Services Department from Austria, City of Varaždin from Croatia and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia. Among the partners are Innovation Region Styria Ltd. from Austria, Technology Park Varaždin Ltd. from Croatia, IREAS, Institute for Structural Policy from the Czech Republic, Bwcon GmbH from Germany, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Styria from Slovenia, Pannon Business Network Association and Hungarian Agency for Economic development from Hungary, Ropot Boutique SRL from Romania, Slovak Business Agency from Slovakia, etc.
Varna Free University hosted the kick-off meeting on the project, where the results of implemented projects were presented, which are the basis of the establishment of "WE.Circular" – ‘Boosting entrepreneurship among young women in the Danube region’, according to which in a Center for Women's Entrepreneurship was established at VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar". Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eleonora Tankova, Deputy Rector of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar", presented the good practices from the project ‘Knowledge of the Circular Economy in the Black Sea Basin’, under which the university initiated the establishment of a European Group for Territorial Cooperation on the Circular Economy in the Black Sea Basin. In June of this year, the second transnational training event and the kick-off meeting of the transnational stakeholder group took place in Chișinău, Moldova.
Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" invests in innovative educational projects to prepare its graduates for the dynamically changing economic and technological environment. By participating in this project, the university reinforces its commitment to sustainable development and innovation in education.