The Circular Economy Research Initiative at Cambridge Judge Business School has been chosen by the European Defence Agency for study on circular economy issues in the defence sector.
The Circular Economy Research Initiative at the School has been contracted for a research project with the European Defence Agency (EDA) on opportunities and challenges in applying circular economy concepts to the defence sector.
The Circular Economy Centre is led by Dr Khaled Soufani, Senior Faculty in Management Practice and Academic Director of the Executive MBA programme at Cambridge Judge. The research initiative looks at ways to reuse and recycle resources in order to boost efficiency and save costs, compared to more “linear” models of production and delivery.
The new study, launched at EDA offices in Brussels on 13 January, is due to be finalised by the end of October 2017. The study follows a policy document launched by the European Commission in late 2015 that looks to the circular economy to “boost competitiveness, create jobs and generate sustainable growth”.
In particular, the Commission believes that introducing circular economy concepts at the research and development stage of defence projects could produce both structural and systematic benefits. Many companies working in the defence sector are small and medium-sized enterprises.
The EDA is an intergovernmental agency of the European Council, the body comprised of EU member states.
The project team of the Circular Economy Centre (CEC) at Cambridge Judge consists of Dr Khaled Soufani along with Dr Mark Esposito and Dr Terence Tse, both visiting Fellows at the School who have worked with Dr Soufani on several circular economy studies and articles.
“We are delighted about the opportunity the Circular Economy Centre has to work with the EDA to explore ways this important concept can apply to the defence sector,” said Dr Soufani. “We look forward to seeing how circular economy principles can make a real impact in this area.”