19 november 2025
During Autumn break, I returned to Umeå, a city that holds personal significance for me. Twenty-eight years ago, I was a student at the Summer Academy on EU Politics at Umeå University. This time, I came back as a Jean Monnet Professor and invited expert for a peer review hosted by Interreg Europe and the City of Umeå, focused on a bold and timely challenge: How to build a Circular Hub – a Centre of Excellence in industrial and urban symbiosis.
Held at Folkets Hus, the three-day programme brought together peers from across Europe, municipal leaders, researchers, and innovation experts. Together, we explored how regional strengths can be transformed into lasting impact through multi-helix collaboration, strategic governance, and circular innovation.
By Dr. Beata Kviatek, Jean Monnet Chair in Sustainable EU Economy
Umeå is not just responding to climate challenges – it is shaping the future of circular urban development. The city’s goal to become climate-neutral by 2030 is supported by its participation in the EU’s 100 Climate-Neutral Cities mission, the Climate City Contract, and the Net Zero Cities programme.
At the heart of this effort is the Umeå Eco Industrial Park, a 550-hectare development zone where waste becomes a resource, and collaboration between energy, logistics, and recycling companies is driving new models of circular value creation. The park is already home to companies like Liquid Wind, Norrslam, and Ragnsells, whose operations contribute to reducing Sweden’s total CO₂ emissions by 3–4% annually.
My contribution focused on one of the most critical dimensions of this transformation: governance and collaboration within the multi-helix ecosystem. As a Jean Monnet Chair and project leader of UNLOCK project, I’ve seen firsthand how regional innovation ecosystems can drive sustainable change. Umeå’s ambition is bold, but it is grounded in a clear strategy, strong partnerships, and a commitment to systemic transformation.
The transition to a circular economy cannot be achieved by one sector alone. It requires a multi-helix approach, where policy authorities, industry leaders, research institutions, funding bodies, and community groups work together to co-create solutions.
Key Roles in the Ecosystem:
This collaborative model is not theoretical – it is already being practiced in the Northern Netherlands, where Chemport Europe and the Zernike Advanced Processing (ZAP) facility demonstrate how regional clusters can accelerate green innovation.
One of the key questions posed during the peer review was: What forms of organisation can support a Centre of Excellence in circular economy?
Based on European best practices and my own experience, I recommend:
Umeå’s steering group – comprising municipal CEOs, university deans, and business leaders – is already laying the groundwork for such a model.
Drawing from European examples like Chemport Europe and the Zernike Advanced Processing (ZAP) facility in the Northern Netherlands, we proposed:
These recommendations were presented in the final plenary session, attended by key decision-makers including Mayor Janet Ågren, Fredrik Lundberg (CEO, Umeå Municipal Corporation), and university deans.
For the Hanze University academic community and Entrance – Centre of Expertise Energy, Umeå’s journey offers valuable lessons. It demonstrates how regional ecosystems can be mobilised to tackle complex sustainability challenges. The parallels with our work in the Northern Netherlands – from hydrogen innovation to circular clusters – open doors for future collaboration, knowledge exchange, and student engagement.
The peer review reinforced the value of integrating student-led innovation, living labs, and interdisciplinary collaboration – core principles at Hanze. Insights from Umeå’s governance model could enrich our curriculum in energy transition, circular economy, and regional innovation. There’s potential to involve students in real-world case studies or cross-border exchange projects.
Entrance’s ecosystem approach – connecting SMEs, researchers, and public authorities – mirrors the multi-helix collaboration Umeå is building. This could be the starting point for deeper collaboration between Hanze, Entrance, and Umeå – through joint research, policy labs, or EU-funded projects.
I’m deeply grateful to the Interreg Europe team – Laura Varisco, Thorsten Kohlisch, Marc Pattinson, and Jason Martinez – for their expert facilitation, and to my fellow peers Dirk Plees, Pipsa Salolammi, Samir Halimanovic, and Clyde Falzon for the rich exchange of ideas.
Special thanks to our hosts Nina Rismalm, Karin Måwe, and the City of Umeå team for their warm welcome – especially appreciated during those rainy October days.
Umeå’s journey is a powerful example of how local ambition, supported by European frameworks and transnational cooperation, can lead to transformative change. The city is not only building infrastructure – it is cultivating a culture of collaboration, innovation, and sustainability.
Returning to Umeå after nearly three decades was more than nostalgic – it was inspiring. It reminded me that collaboration across borders can spark new ideas and real progress.
