OpenCom, the Arezzo-based centre specializing in the investigation of new competencies and the design of innovative curricula, has been strategically selected as a partner in the European project Talent Pass, a €3 million initiative funded by the Horizon Europe programme to enhance talent mobility in the circular economy. The project involves 10 institutions from 7 European countries and will run for 48 months, from June 2025 to May 2029.
Coordination has been entrusted to the “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry in Iași, Romania, whilst the consortium includes partners from Romania, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Turkey. The principal objective is to create a more integrated innovation ecosystem, focusing on “widening countries”- European nations with limited research and development capabilities- to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application.
“Participation in Talent Pass represents a strategic opportunity to place our expertise in training needs analysis and the development of innovative learning pathways at the disposal of the European consortium,” declared Fabio Frangipani, Director General of OpenCom. “Our contribution will focus on designing specialist curricula for the circular economy and transferring advanced pedagogical methodologies.“
The relevance of this initiative extends far beyond the boundaries of academic research, at a historical moment when Europe faces epochal challenges – from the energy transition to global technological competition, from the need to reduce dependence on critical raw materials to the urgency of creating sustainable economic models. Projects like Talent Pass, with their strategic investments in human capital, have the potential to significantly contribute to the objectives of the European Green Deal.
The project focuses on four areas of intervention: specialist training, temporary placements through secondment programmes, management, and communication. We will devote particular attention to retraining research personnel in sectors such as sustainable project management, technology transfer, intellectual property rights, and entrepreneurship. Among the specific objectives is combating “brain drain” by increasing career opportunities for researchers in their countries of origin.
The consortium brings together institutions of excellence, such as the National Research Institute for Industrial Ecology in Bucharest, the Chemical Institute in Ljubljana, the Association of the Superior Technical Institute in Lisbon, Unismart in Padua, and Crowdhelix Limited in London, alongside industrial partners including Farplas (Turkey) and Chimcomplex (Romania). This geographical and sectoral diversity ensures a multidisciplinary approach that combines different levels of expertise.
Talent Pass aligns with the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy and the European Research Area Policy Agenda 2022-2024, aiming to develop a critical mass of competent researchers equipped with the knowledge necessary to drive innovation in the sector. Expected impacts range from strengthening the European research community to enhancing scientific competitiveness, from creating sustainable employment opportunities to mitigating pressure on natural resources.
OpenCom’s participation in this European project not only confirms the Arezzo centre’s role in the landscape of pedagogical innovation and professional training but also positions it as a leading reference point for developing emerging competencies in the transition towards a more sustainable economy.
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