bergisch.kompetenz

In order to ensure a good life within planetary boundaries, current production and consumption patterns must be transformed into circular systems. These systems also ensure material and energy independence, which are becoming increasingly important in view of geopolitical challenges and competitive supply bottlenecks.

To this end, researchers at the Wuppertal Institute together with Neue Effizienz, the University of Wuppertal, the Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, the Research Association for Tools and Materials, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, are designing innovative education and knowledge transfer programs as part of the “bergisch.kompetenz” project. The implementing partners (three companies from the metalworking industry from the Bergisch city-triangle) will have the opportunity to develop into sustainable, circular companies over a period of three years with the help of innovative approaches such as gamification and to contribute to the necessary transformation with the help of the competence center. Scientific experts in the fields of circular economy, labour sciences, production technology, material science, management, education, and regional transformation will make their experience, research and laboratory space available and work closely with the industrial companies.
This is also intended to create new job profiles with clearly defined transformation- and circular-competencies. In the spirit of open innovation, agile co-creation methods, creative workshop and learning environments, accompanied laboratory and in-house experiments and collaborative hubs are used in addition to gamification (serious game).

Using the living lab approach, the researchers at the Wuppertal Institute develop educational materials and test evaluation concepts. They also provide impetus for the transformation to a circular economy and promote active participation in circular change by stakeholders from small and mid-sized enterprise (SMEs).

The bergisch.kompetenz research project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/JTF program NRW 2021-2027) with almost five million euros.