Summer School Alum Story: Addressing Modern Challenges with the Circular Economy Course

Tim’s main learnings from the course include circular economy principles and the applicability of these principles by various industries. 

'The pre-assignments for the course prepared us for the upcoming two weeks in class, gave us a basic understanding and ensured that the whole group started the course on the same level.

The company visits allowed us to get an overview of how companies implement circular solutions to deal with the challenges related to circular economy and sustainability. For example, we visited a lab where they developed raw materials using circular economy principles,' Tim says.

'On another occasion, the class visited Aleksi 13 in Helsinki, a Finnish architectural landmark that went through a complete renovation from shopping mall to business space. We learned more about building circularity in the architecture and construction industry. In addition to this, the course also included several guest lectures, which was crucial for getting to know the practical application of circular economy,' Tim continues.

We need to reach the sustainability targets quicker than anticipated

During the course, Tim has started to identify business models and product designs that are using circular economy in his day-to-day life and states that the course has been a true eye-opener for him. The course also required completing a final project, which enabled students to identify a real case of a sustainability problem and present solutions through the knowledge gained from the Circular Economy course. 

'We must take care of nature and our planet to preserve it and be quicker than the specified sustainability targets. My team’s final project was about reusing car batteries. By using them as storage for green energy for city lighting in Bologna we could extend their life cycle.' Tim explains.

Tim participated in all of the social programs organised by Aalto University Summer School.

'The social program provided a good opportunity to connect with other people from the summer courses at Aalto University. I got to know many people from various backgrounds and it was so great to connect with students from different countries. The scavenger hunt in Helsinki was a particularly fun way to get to know people and the city better,' says Tim.

Do you have any tips for students thinking about enrolling? 

I highly recommend the Circular Economy course at Aalto University Summer School to anyone studying business administration or other business-related fields. Moreover, I believe the course is well-suited for students from a wide range of disciplines, as my classmates came from diverse academic backgrounds, enriching the course with a truly multidisciplinary perspective.