"<< Background >>Circular Economy (CE) embeds two key challenges in today's society: saving the environment while maintaining a sustainable economy. CE can be described using a basic economic premise: if we minimise consumption of raw materials and natural resources, we'll generate less waste and lead a more sustainable life. There are already numerous European initiatives that support and encourage the CE approach, making it completely feasible to apply it in any country (https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/). By embracing this approach, all Europe could generate a much-welcomed net economic yearly benefit of up to €1.8 trillion by 2030 (The Circular Economy: moving from theory to Practice, McKinsey Centre for Business and the Environment Report, 2016). Ultimately, the principles of Circular Economies aim to apply the ""reduce-reuse-recycle"" motto and bring it to a broader scale so it can provide economic as well as environmental benefits. This would make it then an attractive model to implement in private and public organisations. This industrial revolution linear model can be described as a process by which resources are extracted, processed using energy and labor, and sold as goods with the expectation that customers will discard them and buy more. In a circular economic model, however, the materials are re-used, making it practical to conserve assets and materials with the aim of maximising the value of resources. For the realisation of these principles there are many important players in our society which include our schools. Schools (formal and informal learning) represent an area of particular interest for circular economy (CE) implementation due to their socio-economic relevance for the service sector and their influential role in supporting sustainable development in cities and regions worldwide (Ferrer-Balas et al. 2008). Schools contribute to economic progress and social wellbeing through knowledge creation and dissemination (research and teaching) and community development (outreach activities) (OECD, 2010).CESchools aims to embed CE thinking in Schools through educational and industry partnership. The design of this project was inspired by the various studies which examined how educational institutions can support sustainable development through formal learning outcomes. The studies highlighted how student-led change from formal learning, sustainability in school-campus operations, and branding the green schools were key factors for embedding sustainability in education. One thing that these studies were lacking was the focused on a structural ""hidden curriculum"" as the core of these initiatives, as well as the the role and impact these schools have in the local economies. When we talk about hidden curriculums, they are defined as the difference between the actual learning and the curriculum-based learning for the students within educational facilities. CESchools will show how schools can be a major player in promoting circular economy approaches by engaging their students to be their speakers in raising awareness in our society. We will demonstrate how human resources and initiatives are very important in embracing CE in each country.<< Objectives >>The project aims to provide solutions to one of the biggest challenges the EU (and the world) is facing: promoting a Circular Economy mentality and helping it seep into institutions and society to generate real change. At a smaller scale, industries and educational institutions can boost this shift towards integrating CE in all areas of society. Specifically, this project will provide: (1) Tangible, durable results: Creating collaborations between educational centres and private institutions. (2) Long-term impact: promoting and encouraging CE thinking among schools; that is, ""planting the seed"" for future generations who will grow and adapt their habits to ultimately create the biggest expected impact.(3) Long-lasting outcomes: developing new and innovative hidden curriculum techniques which can be used by other countries, not just the ones participating in this consortium.<< Implementation >>These activities can divide them into during and after the completion of the project: During the project · Project Result 1: a report analysis of CE thinking in Schools. This includes previous focus groups, interviews and meetings with major stakeholders to gather quantitative and qualitative data, designed to help our main target groups. This practical information will help bring value to adopting a CE thinking and increase awareness. This outcome will engage all the target groups throughout the project, and each partner is in charge of implementing and creating network collaborations with their respective stakeholders in the way the see fit. · Project Result 2. CE Thinking in Hidden Curriculum Development. Designed to demonstrate how public and private schools can play a key role in helping promote circular economy approaches by encouraging and engaging their students. In addition, each partner will explore how the development of a CE mentality in training human resources outside of the curriculum will be important for circular economy approaches in industry.· Partner Meetings. These will be both online ( every month), and on site (every 6 months). They will help maintain a good flow of communication, and will guarantee that the deliverables are being carried out progressively, on time, and under our expected quality standards. · Learning, Teaching (Testing), Training Activity. This will provide solid feedback with trainers before going to schools and letting the student-led activities run their course. With the expertise of teachers who know the behaviours and context of schools, we can perfect our outputs and make them more flexible to increase its duplicability. · An intense dissemination strategy will be deployed at regional/national level to reach relevant stakeholders working with local and regional participants and beneficiaries in industry.· At a local level, the trainers who will pilot the resources developed in output 2 and training OER platform will continue their work within SMEs, beneficiaries, participant organisations and other relevant stakeholders.· CESchool will create and promote a the methodological framework (output 2), based on a smart use of project materials. The framework and resources can inspire and be transferred – with the necessary adjustments - also to other sectors of education. · CESchools will also contribute to the debate of education in schools and to the effect of a hidden curricula in them. It will also allow a comparison of the development of a circular economic mentality within other national contexts. A wider awareness about the issues should lead to the development of policies aimed at facilitating an international dialogue and the use and exploitation of the material produced.<< Results >>The main project's results are: 1. Create an Overarching Analysis of CE Thinking in partner countries & suggestions for the Hidden Curriculum which includes all main stakeholders's perspectives (schools and industry) at delivery phase.2. Develop an enhanced experience of a Hidden Curriculum which includes all main stakeholders (schools and industry) and design stage.3. The development of two ( 1 for teaching and 1 for learning) very well 'polished' units/manuals in the field of CE Thinking.Overall, CESchools aims to create an enhanced experience of joint CE Thinking education delivery with the inclusion of various fields and academic experts from different EU partner countries. 5. An OER platform which is flexible and user-friendly for all target groups both in schools and in the industry.6. A (or more than one) published paper/s informed by the research project in question.Furthermore, this project will directly or indirectly contribute to the following expected outcomes:- The creation of an optimal match between schools and industry to meet the needs of CE thinking.- The comparison process between existing CE Thinking by using hidden curriculum from different countries.- The mapping and complementarity of CE Thinking to other existing formal education and development routes in schools.- Greater cooperation between schools and industry providers among national and international providers.- A greater exchange and cooperation between academia and industry for the benefit of future generations and participants.- In countries where there is no clear regulatory framework for CE thinking, the deliverables, may positively influence policy development for CE approach. - The raising of the profile and recognition of CE mindedness.- The development of student and faculty professional profiles on the way of CE thinking.- The overall process of professionalisation of CE mindedness."