The circular economy is an economic system that aims to eliminate waste and make the most of resources. Instead of the traditional "take, make, dispose" model, where products are used and then thrown away, the circular economy focuses on reusing, repairing, recycling, and regenerating materials to keep them in use for as long as possible.

A circular society goes beyond just economic and material cycles. It rethinks the way we organize our entire way of living, including social structures, culture, and governance. While the circular economy focuses on resources and businesses, the circular society includes people, communities, and fairness in resource use.

How can we move beyond a wasteful, linear economy toward a truly circular society? How do social dynamics shape economic transformation? And what does it take to build circular practices that go beyond mere technological fixes and ecological modernisation logics?

Join our blended learning Summer School From Circular Economy to Circular Society and explore these pressing questions with leading experts and like-minded peers. Starting with online content and two key lectures by Professor Melanie Jaeger-Erben :

May 9, 2025 | 3-5 PM – From Circular Economy to Circular Society: Why Economic Transformation is First of All a Social Challenge
June 20, 2025 | 3-5 PM – From Circular Consumers to Circular Regions: Different Levels of the Circular Society

These sessions will lay the groundwork for our offline intensive week (Sept 1–7, 2025) at BTU Campus, where you will:

✔️ Critically examine the limitations of a globalized, growth-driven economy
✔️ Develop the skills to think circular and apply circular strategies beyond greenwashing
✔️ Explore the origins and evolution of the circular society concept
✔️ Design alternative business models and practices that integrate social and environmental justice

This is more than a course—it’s an opportunity to co-create the future of circular transformation. Ready to challenge the status quo?

The Fit4Future Summer School is part of the Master Programme Transformation Studies, it can also be choosen as IDS module by all BTU students. There will be opportunities to develop study projects in the context of the module.

Master and PhD students from other universities are warmly welcome!

Apply now via Moodle or an e-mail to melanie.jaeger-erben(at)b-tu.de and be part of the shift from a Circular Economy to a Circular Society!