Circular Economy and Territories

Stand Out and Win a €500 Prize!

Following the success of its first edition, the European Chair of Excellence on Circular Economy and Territories is proud to launch the second edition of the Best Master Thesis Award.

The circular economy is rapidly becoming a key solution to reducing climate pressures, creating local jobs, and strengthening regional material loops. To highlight and support innovative research in this field, we invite Master’s students in the Humanities and Social Sciences who completed a thesis related to the circular economy during the 2024-2025 academic year to submit their work for consideration.




The winning thesis will receive a €500 prize and be professionally showcased.
 

Why Apply?

• Gain Recognition — Showcase your academic contribution to the advancement of the circular economy.
• Expand Your Network — Connect with leading researchers, experts, and industry practitioners.
• Boost Your Career — Strengthen your professional profile and open doors to new opportunities.

Award Details

• €500 prize
• Promotion and visibility for your research

Application Deadline

January 30, 2025
Submit your application to: fnadou@em-normandie.fr and njacquet@em-normandie.fr

Application Requirements

• Dissertation Summary (500 words): Include the master’s thesis title, supervisory team, defense date, grade, and a concise overview of your work.
• Contribution Analysis (500 words): Explain how your research advances the circular economy.
• Full Thesis Submission: Upload a digital copy of your completed thesis.

How to Apply

1. Review the award guidelines.
2. Submit all required documents before the deadline.

Apply now and share your work with a broader audience!

Services

Consulting

We offer tailored territorial diagnostics that provide a comprehensive overview of the circular economy in your area. These diagnostics highlight existing strengths and identify development opportunities, serving as a foundation for creating a roadmap to guide your actions.

Workshops and Frescoes

We organize interactive workshops and circular economy frescoes to help participants understand circular economy issues through collaborative and visual activities. These workshops engage businesses, educational institutions, and the general public.

Public Conferences

We organize conferences for a broad audience to spread knowledge and stimulate interest in circular economy topics. These events feature case studies, sector innovations, and expert debates.

Professional Training

We develop tailored training modules for local professionals and decision-makers to help them integrate circular economy principles into their daily practices.

Impact and Social Acceptability Studies

We conduct studies to evaluate how public policies are received by economic actors and to analyze practices and behaviors related to circular economy deployment. By identifying obstacles and action levers, we provide public and private stakeholders with operational tools and strategic recommendations for action.

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Research Topics

Territorialization of the Circular Economy

• Implementing strategies to optimize the use of local resources.
• Developing actor networks to enhance economic attractiveness.
• Supporting public policies in their critical role in achieving local ecological transitions.

Industrial Symbiosis

• Identifying success factors for inter-company collaborations.
• Analyzing barriers to cooperation (corporate culture, competition, regulation) and incentives to engage businesses (financial incentives, institutional support).
• Studying industrial synergies and resource sharing to strengthen territorial sustainability.

Public Policy Governance

• Addressing specific territorial challenges: regulatory changes, increased extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, the growing complexity of waste collection and sorting, and barriers to circular economy deployment.
• Investigating inter-service collaborations, corporate engagement, and mechanisms to enhance the social acceptability of the circular economy.

Innovation in Business Models

• Researching and developing new circular economic models that balance value creation with planetary boundaries.
• Identifying innovation levers to transform traditional production and consumption chains.

Circular Logistics

• Developing logistical networks that promote the reuse of recycled materials.
• Examining deposit-return systems for reuse and recycling.
• Analyzing infrastructure requirements to support the transition to sustainable, circular logistics.

Ressources and publications

Academic publications

Media and Outreach

Books

 

Academic Publications

• Bourdin, S. (2025). From Carbon Footprint to Circular Brainprint: Advancing Behavioral Foundations of the Circular Economy. Journal of Circular Economy.
• Bourdin, S., & Jacquet, N. (2025). The contribution of European cities and regions to the circular economy: An analysis of territorial strategies. Regional Studies.
• Bourdin, S., & Jacquet, N. (2025). Closing the loop at the local scale: Investigating the drivers of and barriers to the implementation of the circular economy in cities and regions. Ecological Economics.

Medias

• L’économie circulaire, une simple variable d’ajustement budgétaire ?
  November 21, 2025 ∙ Forbes

• Il faut sortir du procès en inefficacité pour construire une économie circulaire créatrice de valeur
  October 27, 2025 ∙ Les Echos

• Vieux vêtements, nouveaux problèmes : le recyclage ne règle pas tout
  May 28, 2025 ∙ The Conversation

• Le grand malentendu du recyclage plastique : pourquoi la solution passe par le réemploi
  March 21, 2025 ∙ La Tribune

• Recyclage en France : le déchet le plus propre, c’est celui qui n’a jamais été produit
  March 17, 2025 ∙ Libération

• Réparer plutôt que remplacer : un changement de mentalités s'impose
  October 18, 2024 ∙ Libération

• Droit à la réparation : l’Europe s’attaque aux millions d’appareils électroniques qui dorment dans nos tiroirs 
  March, 24 2024 ∙ The Conversation

• L’économie circulaire est-elle vraiment plus coûteuse pour le consommateur ? Un appel aux entreprises 
  August 30, 2023 ∙ Forbes

• Le bonus réparation, un pas vers l’économie circulaire mais encore du chemin à parcourir 
  November 09, 2023 ∙ Forbes

 

Books

• Bourdin, S., Torre, A., & van Leeuwen, E. (2024). Regions, Cities and the Circular Economy: Theory and Practice. Edward Elgar Publishing.

A Chair of Excellence serves as a hub where academia, businesses, and society converge to advance expertise in teaching and research on critical societal issues. By fostering exchanges between the socio-economic sector and scientific research, a Chair of Excellence not only supports research activities but also enhances professional practices through the sharing of knowledge.

Becoming a Patron

By supporting us, you contribute to addressing tomorrow’s challenges and advancing knowledge in your sector. Your support enables:

• Privileged access to academic expertise and research on key topics related to the circular economy.
• Increased visibility for your company by aligning your brand with research.
• Direct contact with students through events like hackathons, case studies, and explorations of new business models, fostering lasting, meaningful relationships with future talent.
• Enhanced training for your managers through the delivery of educational modules, developed in collaboration with our team of researchers.

Funding Modalities

The patronage of the Chair can take various forms:

• Development and management of research and expertise programs.
• Valorization and dissemination of results and best practices through meetings (conferences, workshops, webinars) and academic and professional publications (white papers, expert reports).
• Design and management of educational tools.

Tax Benefits

Donations made are eligible for the tax reduction provided for in the French General Tax Code.

For Businesses Headquartered in France

• 60% of the donation amount is deductible from corporate tax, up to 0.5% of annual revenue, with a maximum annual payment of 2 million euros.

For Individuals with a French Residence

• 66% of the donation amount is deductible from income tax, up to 20% of taxable income.

 

Interested in supporting us? Contact us to learn more about our mutual collaboration opportunities.

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