From March 17 to 20, 2025, a series of training seminars took place at the University of Applied Sciences FHM (Fachhochschule des Mittelstands) in Bielefeld, Germany, as part of the international Erasmus+ ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CBHE project "Developing Innovative Curricula and Modules in Circular Economy and Sustainable Development - CirculEC."

D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University (EKTU), acting as the grant holder and coordinator of the project, continues to play a key methodological and organizational role in advancing the principles of sustainable development within the academic communities of Central Asia.

The training program opened with a seminar on Environmental Management, conducted by Professor Melanie Eikenbusch. During the workshop, each participating country presented a team project aimed at rethinking the structure and content of academic disciplines related to sustainability. Participants from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan worked in teams to discuss which academic programs will integrate the new courses, what learning outcomes will be defined, what assessment methods will be applied, and what updates will be made to course content. Based on these discussions, both new and revised disciplines were proposed for implementation at undergraduate and graduate levels across a range of study areas.

A key highlight of the seminar was the presentation by Professor Rulf Treidel, introducing the Packless project. He provided a detailed overview of various types of packaging materials and focused on their environmental impact - in particular, the carbon footprint associated with the production and transportation of PET and paper packaging. Drawing on the results of a survey among small and medium-sized businesses, Professor Treidel emphasized the widespread use of PET bags and the pressing need to explore more sustainable alternatives.

EKTU's participation in the seminars in Germany highlights the university's active role in coordinating and implementing international initiatives aimed at modernizing education. Through the CirculEC project, EKTU continues to contribute to the development of a forward-looking academic agenda, preparing a new generation of specialists equipped with environmental responsibility and innovative thinking in education.