We had the opportunity to explore Brussels and Antwerp over three days. During the days, we visited the EU Office of Tampere and Pirkanmaa, the headquarters of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU), the ecobuild.brussels network, and the University of Antwerp. At the same time, we got to know our project team and planned for the future. Although Tampere University and Häme University of Applied Sciences have had extensive collaboration previously, the team members were unfamiliar with each other before the project began.
”Our study trip to Brussels and Antwerp proceeded splendidly. We have ambitious goals for our project’s international cooperation: our final seminar will be held in Brussels at the ECIU headquarters, and there will be many guests from Brussels. The event will be an excellent opportunity for our Finnish company partners to network and bring their knowhow forth internationally, Project Manager Jaakko Kinnunen said after the trip.
The meetings significantly illuminated our path forward. We heard the latest updates from the European Union, the ECIU, and local companies. We visited the newly established EU Office of Tampere and Pirkanmaa, where Harri Airaksinen and Joni Rauhansalo welcomed us. They are building their international network and act as intermediaries between Pirkanmaa and Brussels, conveying information about current EU affairs and vice versa.
Another new acquaintance was the ecobuild.brussels network, whose coordinator Emmanuel Malfeyt we met. The network focuses on sustainable construction and especially renovation. During the meeting, we learned about Brussels’ low-emission construction and ecological solutions – there are many, as they have around 500 business partners. Brussels companies are eager to share their findings, so collaboration will undoubtedly continue in the future.
We received diverse tips regarding the project and research funding from Olga Wessels, the head of ECIU’s Brussels headquarters. During the meeting, we gained useful contacts and information about ongoing EU missions, such as Mission Cities and New European Bauhaus. These include many interesting themes related to the circular economy.
”I want to thank Olga Wessels in particular for her support to our project. Through the ECIU Tampere University, Häme University of Applied Sciences and our company partners are provided with many new opportunities”, Kinnunen said.
The visits concluded at the University of Antwerp, where Esther Vandamme, Aníbal Maury-Ramírez, and Aishuak Kerimzhanova presented their research on flexible wooden structures and the reuse of waste materials in construction. The visit also provided valuable insights into circular economy research in Belgium and opportunities for researcher exchanges.
Overall, the trip was successful, and we established good relationships with various stakeholders. Big thank you to everyone for this study trip!
Read more about the CircBuild project on our website!
For more information, please contact:
Jaakko Kinnunen
Project Manager, CoreLab
Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University
jaakko.kinnunen@tuni.fi
Text:
Alisa Hakola
Communications and Research at CoreLab
Faculty of Built Environment, Tampere University
alisa.hakola@tuni.fi
The project is co-funded by the European Union and the South Savo ELY Centre. Additionally, the project is funded and partnered by A-Kruunu Oy, Hartela-Yhtiöt Oy, Helsinki Region Student Housing Foundation (Hoas), Real Estate Education Foundation (Kiinko), Saint-Gobain Finland Oy, and Y-Foundation.
