The next lecture of the series, hosted by the School of Mineral Resources Engineering (MRE) of the Technical University of Crete, will be delivered by Dr. Michael Tost, Professor of Sustainable Mining Technology at Montanuniversität Leoben in Leoben, Austria.

Michael Tost's lecture is titled:

"SLO in Mining: What is it, why is it needed, how does it work, where does it break?"

and is scheduled to take place on:

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 at 13:00 EET (12:00 CET)

and can be attended either physically or virtually:

Room M3.108 (School of MRE @ TUC Campus)​
https://tuc-gr.zoom.us/j/99139379630?pwd=qsevAj0RXz1zsPl9ywwvJvg4DTi4bs.1

The lecture is open to all interested members of TUC and EURECA-PRO. An official, electronic certificate of attendance will be issued to all actual attendees who will register their participation during the lecture.

Abstract

The RM SLO PLUS Hub is a transformative initiative addressing the growing societal and environmental challenges facing Europe's Raw Materials (RM) sector. With the critical importance of raw materials for Europe's digital and green transition, the Project seeks to bridge gaps between RM operations and societal expectations through education, consulting, and networking. The Hub focuses on fostering Social License to Operate (SLO) by equipping stakeholders - companies, academia, policy makers, communities, and NGOs with knowledge and tools to enhance transparency, trust, and responsible RM practices. It will create a centralised repository for SLO best practices, offer training programs tailored to diverse stakeholders across the RM life-cycle, and establish consulting services for effective stakeholder engagement and compliance. A proof-of-concept pilot course, engaging 150 participants, will showcase innovative pedagogical tools, focusing on EU legislation, ESG principles, and real-world case studies. The Hub integrates expertise from academia, industry, and research organisations across key EU and RIS regions, ensuring comprehensive geographical and sectoral coverage. Aligned with EIT Raw Materials' strategic goals, the Hub promotes sustainable RM supply chains, enhances social acceptance, and contributes to Europe's competitive advantage in RM management. By fostering stakeholder collaboration, it ensures a socially accepted, green, and sustainable future for the RM sector.

Short Bio

Michael Tost is Professor of Sustainable Mining Technology at Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria and owner of Mango Impact e.U, a sustainability consultancy in Austria. Michael has a PhD in mining and an environmental engineering master’s degree from Montanuniversität Leoben and various post-graduate courses at London Business School, UK and AGSM in Sydney, Australia. He is a passionate and motivated sustainable development and mining professional.

The event may be broadcast live through the official TUC Facebook page and will be recorded, while photographic material will be taken. The digital material will be displayed on the websites and on the official channels of the Technical University of Crete, EURECA-PRO TUC and the European University EURECA-PRO and will be published on social media, press releases and newsletters. For any issue, which concerns your personal data, you can be informed through the page with TUC's privacy policy.

EURECA-PRO is funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

💡 What if you had five days to solve a real-world business problem — with a team, creative ideas, and the chance to win prize money?

🇦🇹 Join IGNITE, our EURECA-PRO problem-based learning competition, hosted at Montanuniversität Leoben!

🏆 We’re looking for student teams ready to think outside the box, develop innovative solutions, and turn ideas into action.

🚀 What awaits you?

• Real-world challenges from participating companies
• 5 days of creative teamwork and problem-solving
• Workshops on entrepreneurship, business creation, presentation skills & pitching
• The opportunity to present your solution to a commission
• Prize money for the winning team! 🏆

📅 IGNITE WEEK | November 9–13, 2026

🌍 Want to join, but worried about getting to Leoben, Austria?

EURECA-PRO covers travel and accommodation costs for one team from each EURECA-PRO partner university!

👉 Apply as a team and get nominated by your university to make use of this funding opportunity!

• Registration Deadline: 11.10.2026
• Language: English 
• Mobility: Physical
• Course duration: 09–13.11.2026
• Target audience: All students (Bachelor, Master, PhD) and early-career researchers
• Team size: 4 people maximum
• Certificate: participants can obtain certificate of attendance

🔥 Ready to IGNITE your ideas?

🔗 Visit our website to learn more: www.eurecapro.eu/ignite-problem-based-learning-competition

The EURECA-PRO project is co-funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

💡 Key Information

• Dates: October 12–16, 2026
• Team Structure: Teams must consist of 2 main players + 1 substitute player
• Tournament Format: Group Stage (Single Round-Robin — each university team plays against every other team once) followed by Semi-Finals and Finals for the top-ranking teams.
• Team Selection: Teams may freely choose their preferred national team within a designated rating range (4.5★ to 5★ rating) to ensure fair and competitive matches.
• University Selection: Students register through their home university. If the number of applicants exceeds available slots, each university will select its representative team at its own discretion.

👉 Registration

To sign up, each team must provide:

• Full names of all team members
• Official university email addresses of all team members (tuc.gr for TUC)
• PSN Account IDs (and the email addresses associated with your PSN accounts)
• Top 3 preferred in-game national teams (ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice)

📅 How to Apply

• Submit your team's application to EURECA-PRO TUC (local coordinator)
• Deadline: Friday, 9 October 2026, 12:00 noon
• Email your application (with all member information) to eureca-pro<at>tuc.gr.

🏆 Gather your squad, pick your team, and compete for glory across the EURECA-PRO network!

🚀 This competition is part of the EURECA-PRO events to celebrate 10 years of Erasmus+ during the Erasmus Days 2026!

🔗 Visit our website to learn more: www.eurecapro.eu/erasmus-days-2026

The EURECA-PRO project is co-funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

"Sustainable Metallurgy and Critical Raw Materials"

which will take place on

Tuesday September 29, 2026, 15:00-17:00 CET (16:00-18:00 @ TUC)

During this seminar (with TUC contribution this time!), researchers will share their insights and latest work on sustainable resource management, modern geostatistical approaches for environmental mining, metal recycling, and innovative solutions for reducing the environmental impact of resource extraction and metallurgy. 

This time the seminar features an opening lecture by Emmanouil Varouchakis, PhD, Assistant Professor at the School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete (TUC), and co-lead of the EURECA-PRO Flagship "Sustainable Mining & Resources":

• Assistant Professor Emmanouil Varouchakis, Technical University of Crete, Greece
  Modern Geostatistics for Environmental Mining and Sustainable Resource Management
  Abstract: This lecture presents modern geostatistical methods for analysing complex spatial and spatiotemporal data in environmental mining and natural-resource applications. It highlights advances in uncertainty quantification, hybrid geostatistics/machine learning approaches, and AI-enhanced modelling to support more reliable and sustainable decision-making.

Then, three EURECA-PRO doctoral candidates will present their latest work addressing key challenges: 

• Shabnam Jameshourani, Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria
  Metallurgical Treatment of Cu-Au-As Containing Wastes from Historical Mining Activities in the Eastern Alps
   
• Ehab Tara, Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria
  Green Zinc: CO₂ Neutral Zero Waste Solution for Zinc Recycling – Focus on Slag Recycling
   
• Tendai Valerie Nyangadzayi, Montanuniversität Leoben, Austria
  Optimization and Utilization of Biocoke in Selected Metal Recycling Metallurgy

🎓 For PhD students and researchers, especially those interested in the EURECA-PRO Flagship "Sustainable Mining & Resources".

📅 Tuesday, September 29, 2026
🕒 15:00–17:00 CET (16:00-18:00 @ TUC)
💻 Online

🔗 Join us and connect with researchers working towards more sustainable resource use!

Find out more and register for free to attend on this page:

www.eurecapro.eu/phd-seminar-sustainable-metallurgy-and-critical-raw-materials

The event may be photographed, video-recorded or broadcast live through the official channels of EURECA-PRO and its partners. This digital material may be used by EURECA-PRO and its partners for reporting, archival, and dissemination purposes across EURECA-PRO's and partners' official websites and social media channels.

EURECA-PRO is funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

🚀 Start with I&E 101: Sustainable Innovation and Ecopreneurship 2026 – Capturing the Founder’s Story and discover how innovative ideas become real-world solutions. Go behind the scenes of sustainable ventures and discover the people, ideas and turning points that shape an entrepreneurial journey.

You will explore:

• 💡 How founders turn challenges into opportunities

• 📹 How to capture a founder’s story and transform it into an engaging reel

• 🌱 How sustainable ideas become innovative solutions

• 🔄 How entrepreneurs experiment, adapt and learn

• 🚀 What it really takes to move an idea forward

Learn from entrepreneurs, innovators and startup founders as they share their stories, challenges and lessons learned.

• 📅 12 Oct – 13 Nov 2026
• 💻 Online | English
• 🎓 2 ECTS for EURECA-PRO students
• ⏰ Register by 11 October 2026

No business idea or entrepreneurial experience required - just curiosity.

Ready to explore your entrepreneurial potential?

👉 Explore the course and register here to join I&E 101!

Your journey starts with a story. What will yours be? 🌱

The EURECA-PRO project is co-funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Turn ideas into sustainable impact!

Curious about innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability? The EURECA-PRO I&E Programme invites you to explore how ideas become real-world solutions and discover your own potential as an innovator and ecopreneur. After the success of the program in the past few years, the European University for Responsible Consumption and Production (EURECA-PRO) offers a new edition of the I&E programme for academic year 2026-2027. Take a look at the series of three I&E courses in the EURECA-PRO I&E Programme 2026-2027, shown on the poster to the right.

Through the EURECA-PRO I&E Programme you will:

💡 Build practical innovation & entrepreneurial skills
🤝 Connect with students and experts across the EURECA-PRO alliance
🌍 Explore solutions to today’s major societal challenges

🏆 Complete all three courses and earn the EURECA-PRO Certificate of Specialisation in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

👉 Ready to start your innovation journey?

👉 Start with I&E 101!

The EURECA-PRO project is co-funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

All lectures can be attended online via zoom teleconference and all courses will be supported offline by the EURECA-PRO Moodle Learning Management System (LMS). In some cases, the courses will be co-taught to TUC postgraduate students. EURECA-PRO students will earn a number of ECTS (vary by course) upon successful completion for each course. The lectures for all courses last a total of 13 weeks of teaching during the Winter semester, excluding the Christmas break period (24.12.2026-06.01.2027). Exams will follow after the end of the lectures.

Academic Calendar for Winter Semester 2026 at Technical University of Crete (TUC)

• Postgraduate classes begin: Week of 12 October 2026
• No classes during Christmas break: 24 December 2026 – 6 January 2027
• Postgraduate classes end: Friday, 22 January 2027
• Postgraduate classes exam period: 25 January 2027 – 19 February 2027
• (there is one exception marked in yellow below)

The 7 courses, along with their instructor(s) and weekly schedule, grouped by School, are listed below.

School of Mineral Resources Engineering (MRE)

• Raw Materials Exploitation Methods with Low Environmental Footprint​
  Wednesday, 17:00-20:00 CET (Michael Galetakis, Georgios Xiroudakis​)
  Registration: https://moodle.eurecapro.tuc.gr/local/preregistration/customform.php?courseid=209
   

School of Architecture (ARC)

• Planning of Smart and Digital Cities​​​
  Tuesday, 14:00-18:00 CET (Vasiliki Geropanta)
  Registration: https://moodle.eurecapro.tuc.gr/local/preregistration/customform.php?courseid=87
  Registration period: 07.09.2026 - 25.09.2026
  Course start: Week of 28.09.2026
• Regional Planning​​
  Wednesday, 17:00-19:00 CET (Despoina Dimelli)
  Registration: https://moodle.eurecapro.tuc.gr/local/preregistration/customform.php?courseid=210
   

School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering (CEE)

• Applied Mathematics for Environmental Engineers
  Thursday 17:00-20:00 CET (Nikolaos Diangelakis)
  Registration: https://moodle.eurecapro.tuc.gr/local/preregistration/customform.php?courseid=211
   
• Design of Sustainable Energy and Mobility Systems​
  Monday 17:00-20:00 CET (Theocharis Tsoutsos​)
  Registration: https://moodle.eurecapro.tuc.gr/local/preregistration/customform.php?courseid=212
   
• Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Emissions​
  Thursday 14:00-17:00 CET (Michail Lazaridis, Apostolos Voulgarakis)
  Registration: https://moodle.eurecapro.tuc.gr/local/preregistration/customform.php?courseid=214
   
• Solid and Toxic Waste Management
  ​Friday 17:00-20:00 CET (Apostolos Giannis​)
  Registration: https://moodle.eurecapro.tuc.gr/local/preregistration/customform.php?courseid=213
   

The first attached file provides additional details with the course outlines. Interested students can apply for registration using the links provided above for each course. All submitted applications will be reviewed by the instructor(s) of the course and the corresponding academic coordinator of the home partner university. Accepted students will be automatically enrolled in the corresponding course(s) in the LMS. More information about the registration procedure is included in the second attached file. Please, note that the registration deadline is 08.10.2026 and lectures begin on the week of 12.10.2026 (with one exception marked in yellow above). All information about the courses and the registration links can also be found in the course catalogue available on the main EURECA-PRO site.

The entire EURECA-PRO team at TUC is looking forward to welcoming EURECA-PRO students to our online RCP classes!

This project was funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

🤝 Which public spaces did you enjoy spending time in, and which ones did you tend to avoid during past hot spell periods in many parts of Europe?

♻️ Are you curious to discover your own innovative abilities and explore how public spaces can be redesigned or reimagined to become more heat-safe, inclusive and climate-resilient?

🌱 Starting from this real-world challenge, the Deep Dive Intensive Course in Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) will guide you step by step in developing a real or fictitious solution that helps make public spaces more liveable under future climate conditions.

💡 Our I&E experts will introduce you to the principles of design thinking for innovative problem solving, familiarize you with approaches and tools used by entrepreneurs in startups, and explain how an idea can be brought to life in the entrepreneurial world.

💡 You will also be introduced to the concept and use of Living Labs in I&E and have the chance to experience a virtual walk through a Living Lab.

🤓 Get to know the principles of design thinking to innovative problem solving and familiarize yourself with approaches and tools that entrepreneurs use in startups.

🤓 Your knowledge will be built and enhanced through lectures, workshops and counselling by I&E experts, as well as practically through your own pitch presentations and mutual learning through constructive peer review.

👉 Our online English-speaking I&E Deep Dive Intensive Course is now open for registrations to any person interested in sustainable entrepreneurship.

More information: https://www.eurecapro.eu/deep-dive-in-innovation-entrepreneurship-2026/

• ⏳ Dates: 14.09.2026 – 09.10.2026
• 📅 Schedule: on the website
• 🌍 Language: English
• 👉 Mode: online (synchronous)
• 🌟 Eligibility: anyone
• 🎓 ECTS: 3 ECTS (for EURECA-PRO students), 4 ECTS (for EURECA-PRO Doctoral School)
• 🏛 Organising Institution: Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, Germany
• 🔗 Registration form: via EURECA-PRO Moodle LMS
• 📅 Registration end date: September 7, 2026

Please, take a look also at the series of three I&E courses in the EURECA-PRO Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programme 2026, shown on the poster to the right. The first two courses, offered by TUC and ULE have already concluded; the third, offered by HSMW, is upcoming.

The EURECA-PRO project is co-funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

September 8 – 10, 2026

Hosted by EURECA-PRO partner: Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF)

A secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials is a key for economic stability, technological sovereignty, and ecological transformation. Without a reliable resource base, essential technologies such as electromobility, renewable energy, and digitalization cannot be realized. In light of geopolitical tensions, disrupted supply chains, and increasing resource scarcity, local responsible raw material production has become more relevant than ever.

At the same time, raw material projects often encounter public opposition - ranging from environmental concerns to local resistance, and questions of social justice and participation. These challenges not only complicate project implementation but also undermine trust between industry, policymakers, and society. Public acceptance has thus become a decisive success factor for sustainable raw material strategies.

This conference brings together researchers, industry and public service representatives, and other stakeholders for an open dialogue. We will explore how responsible resource extraction can align with societal values and community expectations. The goal is to develop shared perspectives and evidence-based strategies for socially responsible and publicly accepted resource extraction.

EURECA-PRO faculty, researchers, and doctoral students, interested in Sustainable Mining and Processing or Circular Economy, are more than welcome to participate. The conference will cover several practical case studies of mining industry, scientific impulses and contributions from Human Rights experts, civil society, including indigenous communities, as well as legal regulatory authorities.

📍 Online or on-site at TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany

👉 Part of the ProSlo project - Social License to Operate (SLO)

👉 Find more info and register at https://tu-freiberg.de/proslo-conference-2026

The EURECA-PRO project is co-funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

👩‍🎓 Upon the completion of this great milestone, Anna Maria shared her personal thoughts with all of us: "This demanding journey provided me with far more than academic knowledge. It taught me what it truly means to be an engineer: to think and act with a strategic, structured, and effective mindset. … This Diploma (Integrated Master) is a personal milestone, dedicated to my mother up above, whose love, belief, and support were the reason I made it this far. I feel deeply grateful for everything that led to this point, and genuinely excited for all that is yet to come!"

👏 Anna Maria graduated ranking first in her class at the School of Mineral Resources Engineering based on her diploma degree grade.

🎉 Congratulations Anna-Maria! Thank you for your contributions to TUC and EURECA-PRO! Thank you so much for your strong support on top of your studies. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

📸 Check out the photo album from the event!

EURECA-PRO is funded by the European Union under the Grant Agreement No 101124439 "EURECA-PRO 2.0". Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.