In the framework of the NiCE CE project, a pilot activity of the BME – Co-creation for more circular cities at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics – is the establishment of a new university course named Sustainable Business Model Design, boosting challenge-based learning and enabling university students to use sustainable business innovations to promote circularity transformation in their personal and professional life. The core activity is accompanied by other educational activities including workshops in the European Researcher’s Night Programme, and Intensive Seminar Programme at the BME Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences. The implementation of the pilot activity is accompanied by the board of local stakeholders who provide feedback and support the implementation.

The Board of Local Stakeholders was officially established in September 2024 with the following members:

• Mariann Szabó PhD – deputy head of department and senior lecturer, scientific coordinator of the NiCE Interreg Central Europe project, BME
• Mária Szalmáné Csete PhD, vice dean for international affairs and associate professor, BME
• Attila Buzási PhD, head of department, associate professor, BME
• Erika Szabó, Pilot cooperation partner, Ligeti Package Free Shop
• András István Hegedűs, Pilot cooperation partner, BKM Budapest Public Utilities Nonprofit Private Limited Company
• Dóra Simon, Pilot cooperation partner, BKM Budapest Public Utilities Nonprofit Private Limited Company
• Anett Papanitz, consultant at CAM Consulting Ltd.

On 10 January 2025, a meeting has been organized for the Board to review the upcoming activities and to discuss the implementation timeline of the Sustainable Business Model Design course. The members will actively contribute to the pilot project tandem peer review, self-evaluation and communication activities. We are happy to have such committed and professional colleagues in the Board, who are enthusiastic about university-business collaborations and sustainability challenges.