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ToCoReRaM International Workshop in Brussels – Report published

On 13 November 2025, the ToCoReRaM project — led by universities in Germany, Ireland, and Austria — hosted an international workshop at the Representation of the State of Lower Saxony in Brussels.

The project aims to develop practical tools that support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in implementing circular material strategies in line with the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).

The workshop brought together representatives from industry, the European Commission, and academia. Initial research findings were presented, followed by interactive round-table discussions where participants shared perspectives on implications for business, policy, and future research.

The insights generated during the event provide valuable input for the development of the ToCoReRaM tool and highlight the importance of international collaboration in advancing sustainable product design and circularity across Europe.

The workshop report has been published and can be accessed here.

ToCoReRaM International Workshop in Brussels

On 13 November 2025, the ToCoReRaM project — led by universities in Germany, Ireland, and Austria — hosted an international workshop at the Representation of the State of Lower Saxony in Brussels.

The project aims to develop practical tools that support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in implementing circular material strategies in line with the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).

The workshop brought together representatives from industry, the European Commission, and academia. Initial research findings were presented, followed by interactive round-table discussions where participants shared perspectives on implications for business, policy, and future research.

The insights generated during the event provide valuable input for the development of the ToCoReRaM tool and highlight the importance of international collaboration in advancing sustainable product design and circularity across Europe.

You can access the workshop results on www.designforrecovery.eu

Policy Workshop on Raw Material Recovery in Brussels – 13 November 2025

Organized within the ToCoReRaM-project (Tool for Complete Recovery of Raw Materials) a policy workshop will be held in Brussels on November 13.

The event brings together policymakers, industry representatives, and research institutions to discuss one of Europe’s most urgent challenge: how to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to transition toward circular resources use and contribute meaningfully to the EU’s sustainability goals.

Key program points are:

  • First insights from SME survey and interviews conducted across Europe,
  • Concepts for practical tools to support raw material recovery,
  • Discussion of training needs for companies and customers,
  • Exploring the implementation of EU strategies such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Digital Product Passport,
  • Engage participants in a high-level roundtable on how policy can best support SMEs in this transition

We believe this is a valuable opportunity to connect research, policy, and industry—and to explore concrete ways to support SMEs in becoming drivers of Europe’s future.

If you are interested in joining please contact deborah.huber[at]uni-graz.at

ITHACA Final Event – Beyond the Algorithm: From Research to Action for Democratic Renewal

The final event Beyond the Algorithm: From Research to Action for Democratic Renewal provides a unique opportunity to see the achievements of four projects in one place.
On 4 December 2025, the KT4D final event will take place in Brussels and oline as part of a joint conference of the AI, Big Data & Democracy Task Force and the European Association for Social Sciences and Humanities.
The involved Horizon Europe projects are: AI4GOV, KT4D, ITHACA, and ORBIS.

Paper presented: “Inclusive AI-Enhanced Civic Engagement: Empowering Marginalized Voices through Inclusion by Design”

At the ORBICOM annual conference in Strasbourg (September 29–October 2, 2025), Maria Zangl presented a paper entitled Inclusive AI-Enhanced Civic Engagement: Empowering Marginalized Voices through Inclusion by Design. This paper emerged from the ITHACA project and reports on findings from AI citizens’ juries in Brasov (RO) and Martin (SK) and the wishes of socially disadvantaged people regarding digital civic participation, and offers various technical considerations for the ethical implementation of AI tools as well as necessary information and explanations for users for safe and efficient use.

Vortrag “Innovative Mobilität am Beispiel von Projekten und Perspektiven der Stadtwerke Bonn Verkehrs-GmbH”

Die Steirischen Gesellschaft für Psychologie lädt zu folgendem Vortrag ein: „Innovative Mobilität am Beispiel von Projekten und Perspektiven der Stadtwerke Bonn Verkehrs-GmbH“ mit Lena Klöckner, Projektmanagerin Unternehmenssteuerung / Geschäftsfeldentwicklung, Stadtwerke Bonn Verkehr-GmbH.

Zeit und Ort: Donnerstag, den 27.2.2025 um 17:00 Uhr im HS 02.21, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz.

Weitere Informationen hier.

Kick-Off-Meeting “ToCoReRaM”

The project “ToCoReRaM – TOol for COmplete REcovery of RAw Materials”, funded by ZUG gGmbh and EURENI, started on November 1st, 2024 and will last 21 months.

The project aims to redesign the Product Development Process to prioritize the recovery of raw materials from end-of-life products. A tool will be developed to help SMEs meet Green Deal requirements by enhancing sustainability, enabling lifecycle analysis, and defining recycling pathways and value chains optimized for recovery.

On December 12 and 13, 2024, the Kick-Off-Meeting for the project will take place at the University of Graz. Project partners from Ostfalia – Hochschule Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel, Germany, and from the Atlantic Technological University in Galway, Ireland, will come to Graz to discuss the first steps of the project.

CSS at INGE-St. Day

Under the title MIND & BRAIN, the INGE-St. Day on December 2, 2024, showcased current research projects from several universities in Graz. The Cognitive Science Section contributed with poster presentations from the A+CHIS and ITHACA projects. The event provided an excellent opportunity to share insights into one’s own research, network with early-career researchers and experts, and explore exciting projects from other participants.
See also:
Poster ITHACA
https://cognitive-science.at/projects/ithaca/
Poster A+CHIS
https://cognitive-science.at/projects/apchis/
https://gehirnforschung.at/inge-st/