The First Final Conference for the CRCLEcon Project Held at the D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics in Svishtov

The Dimitar A. Tsenov Academy of Economics hosted the first final conference for the Erasmus+ project No 2022-1-BG01-KA220-HED-000085464 "Trifold approach to circular economy: perspectives of academia, business and wider society" (CRCLEcon). The project, coordinated by the Svishtov Academy, addresses key issues related to the circular economy and brings together academics and researchers from the Dimitar A. Tsenov Academy of Economics, Artifex University in Bucharest, Romania, İstanbul Esenyurt Üniversitesi in Istanbul, Türkiye, and the Faculty of Economics at the University of Niš, Serbia. Held on September 20, 2024, in Svishtov, the conference aimed to present the project's main outcomes.

Prior to the start of the conference, participants met with Assoc. Prof. Marin Marinov, Rector of the Dimitar A. Tsenov Academy of Economics, to discuss key issues related to the circular economy. Following the meeting, they visited the museum of the Academy and the key landmarks of the town. The tour included a visit to the Dimitar Hadzhivasilev Professional State High School of Commerce, recently renovated under the 2014-2020 Operational Program "Regions in Growth."

The scientific forum under the CRCLEcon project took place in the conference hall of the Ivanoff Hotel in Svishtov. An official guest of the event was Yulia Mutafchieva, Deputy Governor of Veliko Tarnovo, who welcomed the participants on behalf of Regional Governor Ivaylo Zdravkov. In her address, she emphasized that the transition to a circular economy is a key priority for the Veliko Tarnovo Regional Administration. She also highlighted that the project's activities, including the conference, are fully aligned with European Union legislation aimed at promoting the transition to a more sustainable model for the preservation and the development of the continent.

The key presentations at the conference highlighted and summarized the outcomes of the project activities, carried out successively at the D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics, Artifex University of Bucharest (Romania), İstanbul Esenyurt Üniversitesi, and the Faculty of Economics at the University of Niš. It was noted that one of the significant scientific achievements of the CRCLEcon project is the publication of three collective monographs on the circular economy in English and in the national languages of the four partner countries—Bulgarian, Serbian, Romanian, and Turkish. The presentations indicated that, as of now, six workshops and four transnational administrative meetings have been held in Svishtov, Bucharest, Niš, and Istanbul. Additionally, a number of articles and reports have been published, furthering the project's successful completion and the fulfillment of its objectives.

The second final conference for the project "Trifold Approach to Circular Economy: Perspectives of Academia, Business, and Wider Society" is set to take place on October 4, 2024, in Istanbul. The conference will present the project's final results and outline guidelines for ongoing research in this area.