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CE Academy Launched to Support German Municipalities’ Circular Transformation

Cities across Europe are embracing circularity at a growing pace. But how can the many circular economy measures, targets, and stakeholders be effectively coordinated within city administrations and at the local level? The Circular Economy Academy is a new training programme specifically tailored for municipal Circular Economy (CE) Managers in Germany aiming to support them in driving the circular transformation from strategy to action and connecting with peers in the process. Are you helping your city drive the circular transition? Join a programme built for you!

Municipalities are key in the transition to a circular economy—from establishing sustainable infrastructure to enabling resource-efficient systems and engaging local communities.

For many cities, appointing dedicated Circular Economy (CE) Managers is a crucial step in driving this transformation. These managers are responsible for coordinating the strategic direction and implementation of circular economy measures and thus contributing significantly to sustainable urban development. But who within a municipality is ready to take on this emerging role and has the know-how to manage its complex, cross-sectoral responsibilities?

Developed by the CSCP in collaboration with the Bergischer Abfallwirtschaftsverband (BAV)/:metabolon, the Circular Economy Academy offers a hands-on, 5-day training programme tailored to the specific needs of municipal CE Managers in  Germany.

Whether working on environmental and climate protection, waste or building management, municipal utilities or economic development agencies—municipality employees with diverse backgrounds will gain knowledge, tools, and networks needed to confidently step into this new role and drive circular transformation in their local context.

“The Academy empowers local actors to become change agents for circular transformation in their own cities—not just by providing knowledge, but by reflecting, connecting, and co-creating hands-on approaches tailored to their local context.”, says Victoria Funk, CSCP Programme Lead.

The academy offers:

  • An interactive introduction to CE principles, legal frameworks and urban applications
  • Real-world case studies and local material flow analysis
  • Vision-building and the development of concrete action steps for Circular Cities
  • Impulses on change leadership, systems thinking and collaboration skills
  • Tools for measuring impact and evaluating CE measures
  • Peer coaching and tailored roadmap development for local implementation

In addition, the Circular Economy Academy will strengthen a growing community of municipal CE Managers in states like North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW) and contribute to the state’s strategy to support circular cities through funding initiatives like CircularCities.NRW.

The first round of the academy will start in the fourth quarter of 2025, combining five in-person workshops with additional online sessions. Municipal employees can submit a non-binding expression of interest until 30 September 2025 and will be the first to receive updates once registration opens. You can find additional information on the academy here.

Ready to drive circular change in your city? Submit your expression of interest now!

For additional questions, please reach out to Victoria Funk.

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