What is Re-Source

Objective

ITN ReSource: Looking beyond the current "take, make and dispose” extractive industrial model.

The focus of the ITN-ReSource lies on bioresource recovery from by-products and waste streams in the agro-food value chain. The transition to a more circular economy by means of resource recovery is high on the societal agenda. Society is looking towards science to provide the necessary solutions that can ensure this transition. Only by building a global association & knowledge sharing model those goals can be achieved. ITN ReSource, with Ghent University  and its selected International Partners, wants to strengthen research and services on bioresource recovery  to deliver specific solutions on this challenge.

We aim to reach this objectives by carrying out the following Educational, Research, and servie to society activities:

• Foster international academic collaboration through a vigorous student exchange program, which allows students and researchers from different partners to visit other institutions. For all involved international partners, including a consolidated network with Asian Partners, we focus on Joint PhD development and establishment of a cohesive community around these PhDs
• Create a context through which researchers can collectively profit from the opportunities created by the network. For that, summer schools and specific sessions at international conferences are organised to ensure optimal knowledge exchange
• Stimulate academic-industrial R&D in synergy with our End-of-Waste industrial business development platform (https://www.ugent.be/eow/en)
• Stress the importance of resource recovery in everyday life for the community and for the creation of social wealth.
• Increase the communication and interaction with industrial, agricultural and policy stakeholders to assure real and genuine impact on the field of organic waste upcycling
• Furthermore, the network promotes scientific excellence of the involved international community

Working areas

ITN RE-Source is part of the Re-source.bio association, also born at Ghent Universiry. The overall association shares the objectives of theITN, focussing on the biobased segments of the circular economy, aiming at closing loops and upcycling biobased resources. To reach this goal, Re-Source.bio relyes on the knowldge sharing via our international association but also on the local exchange. For this reason, Re-Source.Bio combines two branches well interconnected – RE-Source.Bio @AUGent (AOP) and RE-Source. Bio International Thematic Network (ITN).

The activities developed within the Resource network can be divided in 5 main working groups (WG). Each WG is specialized in a specific recovery technology and consist therefore of another expert group. ITN Resource aims to coordinate the internationalization activities within each WG