Resea ch Pape
Recommended ci a ion: Baldasso, V., Peña-To es, D., Sundman, J., Taka, M., &
Mikola, A. (2025). Ci cula economy o wa e educa ion: Job ma ke expec a ions
and highe educa ional o e ings in Finland. In Kangaslampi, R., Langie, G.,
Jä inen, H.-M., & Nagy, B. (Eds.), SEFI 53 d Annual Con e ence. Eu opean
Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI), Tampe e, Finland. DOI:
10.5281/zenodo.17631654.
This Con e ence Pape is b ough o you o open access by he 53 d Annual Con e ence
o he Eu opean Socie y o Enginee ing Educa ion (SEFI) a Tampe e Uni e si y in
Tampe e, Finland. This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons
A ibu ion-NonComme cial-Sha e Alike 4.0 In e na ional License.
Ci cula economy o wa e educa ion: Job ma ke expec a ions
and highe educa ional o e ings in Finland
V. Baldasso a,
1
, D. Peña To es b, J. Sundman c,
M. Taka d, A. Mikola e
a Aal o Uni e si y, Espoo, Finland, ORCID 0000-0003-4107-1078
b Aal o Uni e si y, Espoo, Finland, ORCID 0000-0002-1705-0018
c Aal o Uni e si y, Espoo, Finland, ORCID 0000-0003-2590-632X
d Aal o Uni e si y, Espoo, Finland, ORCID 0000-0002-6147-9137
e Aal o Uni e si y, Espoo, Finland, ORCID 0000-0002-1629-9276
Con e ence Key A eas: Sus ainabili y and socie y in enginee ing, and Enginee ing
skills, p o essional skills and ans e sal skills.
Keywo ds: Educa ion o ci cula economy, enginee ing educa ion, ci cula economy
compe encies, cu iculum design.
ABSTRACT
The ansi ion o a ci cula economy (CE) is c ucial o sus ainabili y, pa icula ly in he
wa e and en i onmen sec o s. This s udy in es iga es he alignmen be ween CE
compe encies equi ed by he job ma ke and hose p o ided in highe educa ion
cu icula in Finland using a mixed me hods app oach.
The s akeholde s su ey e ealed ha CE compe encies, such as p oblem-sol ing,
c i ical hinking, and knowledge o wa e and en i onmen al se ices, a e highly
alued by he ma ke . I also e ealed ha g adua es lack p o iciency in a eas like
economic aspec s and bes a ailable echnologies. In addi ion, he analysis o
mas e ’s-le el cou se o e ing on CE iden i ied signi ican gaps in speci ic hema ic
a eas, such as wa e educa ion, and CE compe encies. While gene al CE p inciples
and communica ion skills we e well co e ed, knowledge o bes a ailable
echnologies and economic p inciples, among o he s, we e insu icien ly add essed.
These indings highligh he need o s onge CE cu iculum in eg a ion o be e
p epa e g adua es o e ol ing ma ke demands. By implemen ing holis ic CE
cou ses ha blend in e disciplina i y wi h discipline-speci ic needs, highe educa ion
ins i u ions can equip g adua es wi h he necessa y skills o con ibu e e ec i ely o
he CE ansi ion.
1
Co esponding Au ho
V. Baldasso
e onica.baldass[email p o ec ed]
1 INTRODUCTION
The ansi ion o a ci cula economy (CE) is widely ecognized as a iable s a egy o
building a mo e sus ainable socie y in esponse o escala ing clima e, esou ce, and
en i onmen al conce ns (Geissdoe e e al., 2017). CE ep esen s a pa adigm shi
om he adi ional linea “ ake-make/use-dispose” o a mo e sus ainable model based
on h ee p inciples: (i) designing ou was e and pollu ion, (ii) keeping p oduc s and
ma e ials in use, and (iii) egene a ing na u al sys ems (Ellen MacA hu Founda ion,
2024). As his ansi ion eshapes how socie ies p oduce, consume, and manage
esou ces, i also poses new demands o cu en and u u e p o essionals ac oss
sec o s – pa icula ly enginee s, who play a cen al ole in designing sys ems,
echnologies, and in as uc u es ha enable inno a i e and sus ainable solu ions.
Highe educa ion ins i u ions a e c ucial in p epa ing hese p o essionals by
equipping hem wi h he necessa y heo e ical knowledge and p ac ical skills
(Giannocca o e al., 2021; Paulle , 2020). In he con ex o CE ansi ion, cu icula
mus be es uc u ed o os e he compe encies equi ed by he e ol ing job ma ke
(Ace bi e al., 2024; Ho e al., 2024; Janssens e al., 2021). Al hough sus ainabili y
and CE concep s ha e been inc easingly in eg a ed in o highe educa ion cu icula
o e he pas decade (Mesa & Espa agoza, 2021; Sanchez-Romague a e al.,
2016) i o en lacks a cohesi e me hod o a comp ehensi e unde s anding o hei
holis ic implica ions (Ga cia-Sa a ia O iz-de-Mon ellano e al., 2023; Ren o s, 2024;
Wai e e al., 2024). Ou exis ing e o s a e agmen ed and limi ed in scope (Mesa &
Espa agoza, 2021) and only limi ed s udies documen how CE compe encies can
e ec i ely be augh in enginee ing educa ion, wi h pedagogical amewo ks o his
pu pose emaining limi ed (Ki chhe & Piscicelli, 2019). This calls o u he
explo a ion o how CE compe encies a e add essed in enginee ing educa ion,
pa icula ly in ields like wa e and en i onmen al enginee ing, whe e ci cula i y is
closely ied o p o essional p ac ice.
1.1 Ci cula economy o wa e educa ion
CE p inciples a e pa icula ly ele an o he wa e sec o , whe e inc easing p essu e
on eshwa e esou ces and g owing was ewa e olumes demand mo e sus ainable
and esou ce-e icien app oaches (Laza o a, 2022; Mannina e al., 2022). Fo
example, in he u ban wa e sys ems, CE in ol es e hinking wa e managemen and
ea men s a egies o de elop decen alized ne wo ks, enable digi aliza ion o sma
wa e sys ems, maximize esou ce e iciency by educing, eu ilizing, and eco e ing
esou ces (A ellán e al., 2021; Rebello e al., 2024). This model has become s ongly
suppo ed by poli ical leade s and au ho i ies wo ldwide (Eu opean Commission,
2020; Eu opean Commission, 2019; P ie o-Sando al e al., 2018; Minis y o he
En i onmen , & Minis y o Economic A ai s and Employmen , 2021). In ac , his shi
is expec ed o enhance en i onmen al sus ainabili y, esilience and obus ness o
wa e in as uc u es (Ko honen e al., 2018). Fo his eason, p o essionals a e
expec ed o ha e a solid ounda ion in CE, and i s in eg a ion in he cu en wa e
managemen and ea men s a egies (Dege man e al., 2023; Giannocca o e al.,
2021; Si a, 2021; The In e na ional Wa e Associa ion, 2016).
The impo ance o CE p o iciency o p o essionals, especially enginee s, in a apidly
e ol ing job ma ke is in e na ionally acknowledged and suppo ed (OECD, 2019;
UNESCO e al., 2016; Wo ld Economic Fo um, 2025). E en hough he e is s ill li le
unde s anding on he ype o wo k o ce ha CE implemen a ion will equi e (Bu ge e
al., 2019), he key CE compe encies ocus on (i) e icien esou ce managemen and
impac assessmen , including e icien ma e ials and esou ce e/use, e alua ing
al e na i es and hei impac on he en i onmen ; (ii) sys ems hinking, e e ing o a
sys emic app oach o in es iga ing he complexi y o CE associa ed challenges
(sys ems and hei in e ac ions); and (iii) ci cula business models, including he
iden i ica ion, design and de elopmen o cus om business models (Giannocca o e
al., 2021; Janssens e al., 2021; Ren o s, 2024). Howe e , he geog aphical and ield-
sensi i i y o ele an CE compe encies e lec s he need o iden i y and assess case-
speci ic CE equi emen s, as is done in his pape (Ace bi e al., 2024; A anda-Usón
e al., 2018; Niki ae a e al., 2024). Ne e heless, echnical p o iciency con inues o
be c i ical and should emain in ac , wi h CE skills and compe encies se ing as an
added alue, en iching one’s expe ise (Janssens e al., 2021).
1.2 Ci cula economy in highe educa ion cu icula
Today, gi en he g owing p essu es o he CE ansi ion, he e a e s ong e o s o
iden i y he bes amewo ks and s a egies o de elop holis ic CE cou ses o a ge ed
ields (Ki chhe & Piscicelli, 2019; Whalen e al., 2018), especially in enginee ing
educa ion (Mesa & Espa agoza, 2021). This ield speci ic knowledge and echnical
skills educa ion should be a ge ed a he mas e ’s le el (Niki ae a e al., 2024; Wang
& Van Bue en, 2018). Fu he mo e, i is essen ial o e alua e cu en educa ional
o e ing oge he wi h he job ma ke expec a ions and pinpoin exis ing gaps. To he
au ho s’ knowledge, he e a e only a ew s udies ha ha e in es iga ed highe
educa ion o e ings ela ed o CE and whe he hey adequa ely mee he demands o
he cu en and u u e job ma ke (Ace bi e al., 2024; Giannocca o e al., 2021),
p ima ily ocusing on selec ed coun ies.
In he Finnish con ex , howe e , no s udies ha e add essed his issue. Gi en he
Finnish go e nmen ’s suppo owa ds educa ion and CE ansi ion, i is impe a i e o
add ess his esea ch gap in Finland, especially conside ing he po en ial o
de eloping specialized CE cou ses ailo ed o he Finnish con ex .
Thus, his s udy aims o answe he ollowing esea ch ques ions:
1. Wha a e he CE needs and expec a ions o he Finnish job ma ke in he ield
o wa e and en i onmen al enginee ing?
2. How a e CE- ela ed needs and expec a ions o he job ma ke add essed in
mas e ’s le el educa ion in wa e and en i onmen al enginee ing in Finland?
2 METHODOLOGY
This s udy is pa o a b oade on-going in e disciplina y esea ch p ojec ha ocuses
on de eloping e ec i e in eg a ion o CE concep s in o enginee ing educa ion, wi h a
pa icula ocus on he wa e and en i onmen al sec o . The esea ch adop s a mixed
me hods design o gain an unde s anding o he alignmen be ween job ma ke
expec a ions and educa ional o e ings ela ed o he CE in he ield o wa e and
en i onmen al enginee ing. We used he same compe ency lis s o bo h su ey and
cou se o e ing mapping.
2.1 Da a collec ion
Su ey o s akeholde s
To gain a holis ic unde s anding o he CE needs and expec a ions wi hin he Finnish
job ma ke o wa e and en i onmen p o essionals, an elec onic su ey was
de eloped and adminis e ed o selec ed s akeholde s. The pa icipan s we e sou ced
om a pool o s akeholde s om he esea ch g oup’s ne wo k using pu posi e
sampling (Pa on, 2002). This ensu ed he inclusion o p o essionals in ol ed in wa e
and en i onmen ields, po en ially dealing wi h CE aspec s, wi hin Finland-based
companies and/o o ganiza ions.
The su ey comp ised i e sec ions: (i) demog aphic and p o essional backg ound
in o ma ion, (ii) cu en CE skills and compe encies equi ed in he job ma ke , (iii)
p o iciency o ecen g adua ed p o essionals in CE skills and compe encies, (i ) u u e
expec a ions o CE skills and compe encies o he job ma ke , and ( ) he ole o
highe educa ion ins i u ions in acili a ing he ansi ion owa ds a CE. The su ey was
de eloped u ilizing Web opol su ey ool and sha ed ia email wi h he pa icipan s,
oge he wi h he s udy’s in o ma ion, e hics app o al and p i acy no ice.
(This is an ongoing s udy; hus, he pool o po en ial pa icipan s will expand o include
membe s o he Finnish Wa e Associa ion and o he p o essionals iden i ied h ough
snowball sampling.)
The 19 su ey esponden s ep esen ed p o essionals including enginee s,
consul an s, managing di ec o s, CEOs, and go e nmen o icials. The esponden s
we e aged om 25 o o e 65 yea s old (wi h 64% being 35–54 yea s old), wi h 79%
being male. They all held a highe educa ion deg ee (63% mas e ’s deg ee and 32%
a doc o al deg ee; 95% ela ed o enginee ing and echnology disciplines), and o e
50% o pa icipan s had mo e han 20 yea s o expe ience in he ield o wa e and
en i onmen , while he emaining had be ween 6 o 20 yea s o expe ience. All
pa icipan s s a ed ha hei wo k was om minimally (21%) o highly (32%) ela ed o
CE, wi h hei in ol emen in CE p ojec s ei he being cons an (16%) o inc easing
(84%) h oughou he pas 5 yea s.
Online da a collec ion on cou se o e ing
To sys ema ically iden i y and analyse cou se o e ing ela ed o CE, we e iewed
publicly a ailable cou se ca alogues on he o icial websi es o Finnish highe
educa ion ins i u ions.
The scope o he sea ch was limi ed o mas e ’s le el cou se o e ing wi hin science
and echnology ields, ei he comple ely dedica ed o CE o included CE-con en in
hei cu iculum, including ela ed ools and so wa e. Each ins i u ion's o icial cou se
ca alogue websi e was sys ema ically explo ed and cou ses ul illing he esea ch
c i e ia we e selec ed o u he analysis. To ensu e consis ency, a s anda dized
empla e was used o eco d in o ma ion o each cou se (e.g. cou se con en s,
in ended lea ning ou comes, eaching and assessmen me hods), and he indings
we e discussed wi hin he esea ch eam.
2.2 In eg a ed da a analysis
The quan i a i e su ey da a collec ed h ough su ey we e analysed wi h desc ip i e
s a is ics using he Web opol epo ing ool and Excel. The da a collec ed om he
highe educa ion ins i u ions’ websi es we e analysed wi h basic ini ial con en
analysis, in ol ing ca ego iza ion ollowed by quali a i e assessmen . The da a we e
ca ego ized based on he key hema ic ea u es ela ed o cou se con en and lea ning
ou comes. In ended lea ning ou comes we e classi ied/clus e ed by li e a u e-based
CE compe encies and skills. The quali a i e assessmen ocused on e alua ing he
equency o hese ea u es and iden i ying po en ial gaps in he mas e ’s le el o e ing
on CE o he ield o wa e and en i onmen al enginee ing.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
CE compe encies: needs and expec a ions in he job ma ke
This subsec ion p esen s insigh s om p o essionals on he impo ance o CE
compe encies in he cu en job ma ke and he p o iciency o ecen g adua es in
wa e and en i onmen sec o s (Table 1).
All CE compe encies and skills we e conside ed impo an , wi h a e age sco es
exceeding 3 ou o 5. The h ee mos alued CE compe encies o he cu en job
ma ke we e p oblem sol ing (4.6), c i ical hinking (4.4), and knowledge on wa e and
en i onmen al se ices (4.4). The mos alued CE skills we e ans e sal skills,
speci ically communica ion, eamwo k, and li elong lea ning (each 4.3), aligning wi h
ecen li e a u e on CE compe encies (Janssens e al., 2021; Ren o s, 2024). O he
key compe encies included knowledge o bes a ailable echnologies (4.3), knowledge
o clima e change, wa e sca ci y and esou ce sca ci y (4.3), and basic economic
p inciples (4.2).
Despi e gene ally mee ing cu en job ma ke equi emen s, p o essionals iden i ied
p o iciency gaps among g adua es, pa icula ly in economic aspec s o he
en i onmen /ecology, decision making, policy/ egula o y awa eness, leade ship,
s akeholde engagemen and esou ce managemen . Howe e , ans e sal skills like
esou ce managemen and s akeholde engagemen a e expec ed o be de eloped
p og essi ely h oughou one’s ca ee , so ecen g adua es a e no expec ed o be
ully p o icien in hem in en y-le el posi ions.
Looking ahead, expec ed CE compe encies la gely align wi h cu en CE compe ency
needs. Howe e , knowledge o bes a ailable echnologies and he economic aspec s
o he en i onmen /ecology emain c i ical gaps. These indings suppo p e ious
esea ch in educa ion o CE (Ace bi e al., 2024; Giannocca o e al., 2021; Janssens
e al., 2021; Ren o s, 2024), which highligh s a g owing demand o economics- ela ed
compe encies (business models, economic analysis, and economics o
en i onmen /ecology), p oblem-sol ing and c i ical hinking skills.
CE cou se o e ings: compe ency alignmen and gaps
An analysis o 30 highe educa ion ins i u ions in Finland ound ha only 11 o e
mas e ’s-le el cou ses on CE, o alling 52 cou ses. Due o possible a ia ions in
cou se naming, keywo ds o ecen upda es, he lis may be incomple e.
Figu e 1 p esen s he p ima y hema ic a eas co e ed by hese cou ses, wi h gene al
CE p inciples, business, and ma e ials and was e being he mos equen . Howe e ,
li e cycle analysis and o he CE ools – c i ical o CE s a egy assessmen – we e less
equen ly co e ed. Mos no ably, he e is a lack o cou ses on CE o wa e educa ion,
despi e he in insic ci cula i y o wa e and en i onmen sys ems and hei global
signi icance.
An analysis on he compe encies add essed by hese cou ses e ealed disc epancies
be ween CE compe encies emphasized in he cou ses and hose p io i ized by
s akeholde s (Table 1). While cou ses e ec i ely co e CE p inciples and
communica ion skills, hey insu icien ly add ess knowledge o bes a ailable
echnologies, basic economic p inciples, and policy/ egula o y awa eness. These
gaps a e pa icula ly e iden in enginee ing disciplines ha ha e ye o ully in eg a e
CE in o hei cu icula in a holis ic manne , as shown also by p e ious s udies
(Weissb od e al., 2020).
To mee e ol ing ma ke and socie al needs, highe educa ion ins i u ions mus
s eng hen he in eg a ion o CE in o enginee ing cu icula (Tiippana-Us asalo e al.,
2023). This in ol es add essing cu en CE compe ency gaps by embedding
in e disciplina y, ield-speci ic cou ses ha e lec he complexi y o eal-wo d CE
challenges. Fo example, cou se design could inco po a e modules ocused on c i ical
and sca cely co e ed CE compe encies and skills (Table 1) a ge ing in e disciplina y
CE hemes and including collabo a i e, p ojec -based lea ning expe iences co-
de eloped wi h indus y pa ne s, b inging eal case scena ios in o he class oom.
Acco dingly, cou se design should in eg a e echnical knowledge wi h ans e sal CE
skills, which a e essen ial o ackle CE challenges. These s a egies, among o he s
(Mesa & Espa agoza, 2021), will help p epa e g adua es o hei p o essional oles
and suppo he b oade CE ansi ion.
Table 1: A e age sco es (1–5) o he signi icance o CE compe encies and skills in
he cu en job ma ke and he p o iciency o ecen g adua es. The e a e also he op-
anking CE compe encies and skills o he u u e (% o pa icipan s, n=19) and he
cou se co e age o hese compe encies and skills (% o cou ses, n=52).
Cu en impo ance
o he job ma ke
(-)
P o iciency o
ecen g adua es
(-)
Mos ele an o
u u e job ma ke
(%)
Cou se
o e ings
(%)
Compe encies
Knowledge o ci cula
economy p inciples
4.0
3.9
58
100
Knowledge and unde s anding
o bes a ailable echnology in
he ield
4.3
3.6
53
13
Knowledge on wa e and
en i onmen al se ices
4.4
3.8
0
13
Knowledge on clima e change,
wa e sca ci y, and esou ce
sca ci y
4.3
3.9
42
15
Knowledge o he economic
aspec s o he
en i onmen /ecology
4.2
3.2
47
29
P oblem-sol ing
4.6
3.9
58
40
Sys ems hinking
4.1
3.6
11
60
Ci cula hinking/design
3.6
3.3
11
65
Ci cula business models
3.7
3.0
16
29
Ci cula collabo a ion
3.4
3.3
11
12
S a egic hinking
4.1
3.4
11
46
Value hinking
3.9
3.4
11
2
C i ical hinking
4.4
3.8
58
48
C ea i i y
3.8
3.8
5
13
Inno a ion hinking
3.8
3.6
37
21
Decision-making
4.1
3.1
11
33
Technical skills
Knowledge and applica ion o
ci cula economy “Rs”
S a egy
3.5
3.3
3.5
19
En i onmen al awa eness and
applica ion o sus ainabili y
p inciples
3.8
3.9
3.8
79
Policy and egula o y
awa eness
3.8
3.1
3.8
25
Pe o ming Li e Cycle Analysis
3.3
3.3
3.3
37
Pe o ming En i onmen al
Assessmen s
3.3
2.8
3.3
8
Knowledge o indus ial
symbiosis app oach
3.7
3.3
3.7
10
Op imiza ion o
p ocess/p oduc ion low
3.7
3.1
3.7
12
Modelling and simula ion skills
3.3
3.3
3.3
8
De ini ion o sys em and i s
bounda ies
3.5
3.3
3.5
27
Da a analysis (simple and
s a is ical)
3.8
3.6
3.8
6
Basic economic
p inciples/analysis
4.1
3.3
4.1
19
E alua ion o unce ain y
3.7
3.4
3.7
NA
Resea ch skills
3.3
3.4
3.3
12
T ans e sal skills
Planning and implemen a ion
3.8
3.4
3.8
33
Communica ion (o al and
w i en)
4.3
4.1
4.3
100
Leade ship
3.8
2.7
3.8
19
Teamwo k
4.3
4.3
4.3
25
Mul idisciplina y iew
3.9
3.7
3.9
15
Sec o al iew
3.6
3.2
3.6
27
Resou ce managemen
3.8
3.1
3.8
15
S akeholde engagemen
3.8
3.0
3.8
21
Flexibili y and adap abili y
4.1
3.8
4.1
NA
Li elong lea ning
4.3
4.2
4.3
NA
Figu e 1: Key con en s o he ci cula economy (CE) cou ses iden i ied. Resul s a e
ep esen ed as a pe cen age (%) o o al cou ses (n=52). LCA = Li e-cycle
assessmen .
4 CONCLUSIONS
This s udy unde sco es he g owing impo ance o CE compe encies and skills in he
wa e and en i onmen sec o s while iden i ying key p o iciency gaps in economic
aspec s, bes a ailable echnologies, decision-making, and policy awa eness.
Al hough some CE compe encies a e adequa ely co e ed, a mo e holis ic in eg a ion
in o discipline-speci ic cu icula – pa icula ly in wa e and en i onmen al enginee ing
– is needed. S eng hening CE educa ion will be e equip g adua es o he job ma ke
and enhance hei abili y o d i e he CE ansi ion.
5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This esea ch was suppo ed by P o i6 T3 Co-inno a ing ci cula sys ems, unded by
he Resea ch Council o Finland.
