We propose a 6 ETCS Credit Doctoral‐level course to train the next generation of scientists and engineers in the interdisciplinary and rapidly accelerating field of Li-ion batteries. The course consists of three main pillars: (1) online lectures offered by experts (on battery fabrication, characterization, spectroscopy, simulations and advanced diagnostics), (2) working cases and challenges from industrial partners to be solved by student teams and (3) a venture‐creation summer school.

EMeraldinho aims at developing the entrepreneurial mindset and stimulating innovation among the students enrolled in the EIT-labelled Master in Resources Engineering (EMerald). Through a series of extra activities (business school, field trips, job day, ESG seminars, innovation camps, etc.), the project will foster a cross-disciplinary collaborative environment. EMeraldinho actively involves a large RIS region (Adria) in teaching and coaching.

The “EPICENTRE” PhD winter/summer school on LCA/LCC and new business development addressed the lack of understanding and communication regarding LCA/LCC analysis and promotes sustainable practices in the Raw Materials sector to support the EU Green Deal. It will be implemented through a comprehensive and dynamic educational platform combining e-learning, simulations, and workshops to provide an innovative and engaging learning experience for candidates from industry and academia.

EU Magnesium will produce Mg metal from a site in Romania, owned by WET, out of wastes derived from sodium dichromate production (1.92 mio ton) and micronized dolomite. The future plant will be established in Romania with a capacity of 25,000 tpy contributing to 13.5% of the annual EU demand for minimum 9 years. Mg process production co-produces chrome oxide green, high purity calcium chloride and NaOH with an output of 8,200, 82,000 & 60,000 tpy respectively.

We propose a lifelong learning course with thematic orientation Rare Earth (RE) Magnets and Motors to educate professionals who work or intend to work in the RE value chain industry. These specialists are essential to maintain and increase the resilience of the RE supply chain in Europe. The course uses a blended learning approach. The educational material includes 1 module on basic concepts of magnetism, and 5 modules the content of which covers critical aspects of the RE magnet value chain.

FENICE is a TRL 8 upscaling project on recyclable & biobased Fibre Metal Laminates (FML) and other composites for lighter, more sustainable & safer battery box production, with higher fire resistance. By the end of 2025, FENICE will deliver (1) validated and precertified materials, with customisable characteristics, SDS and TDS; (2) battery box demonstrators & production optimisation; (3) LCA. By 2026, industrialisation in transports will start, aiming at producing 100k-1M battery boxes per year

GEORIS will transfer in the RIS region a novel geopolymerization technology that utilises industrial waste to produce construction materials and a catalytic powder, all exhibiting significant financial, performance and environmental advantages (~25-30% reduction in costs & CO2 emissions). GEORIS targets public authorities responsible for infrastructure development, construction companies, and industrial waste providers, comprising 11 partners from 4 countries (BE, GR, SI, RS).

The project implements a novel pathway for accelerating innovation through Ecosystem Integration Labs (EILs) which will be developed by each participating university company or institution. The EILs will be tailored based on each university’s HEInnovate needs assessment and following the spirit of EU Smart Specialization S3P Mining Industry strategy, which will govern the focus of the envisioned innovation and business projects, Talent Labs and Open Innovation and Training Programs. As a result, this will motivate each higher education institution (HEI) involved to commit to their Innovation Vision Action Plans (IVAP).

Seven universities (Spain, Romania, Germany, Finland, Greece, Ukraine), two RTO - Competence Centers (Serbia, Slovenia) and one SME - strategic and innovation consulting service (Poland), will jointly implement six HEI initiative actions. Also, four other associated HEIs linked to the consortium and other associated partners will collaborate with the HEI4S3-RM knowledge triangle. This enables a realistic Innovation Vision Action Plan (IVAP) to reinforce the innovation capacity building of Europe, aiming for long-term sustainability and circular economy approaches.

The HiPAM-project transfers high purity stainless steel side streams to N2 alloyed Austenitic Ni-Free Stainless Steel (ANFSS) powder products. ANFSS-alloys are one of the most promising candidates for consumer and health care products and a substitute for costly Ti alloys and CRM-containing Co-Cr as well as an answer to the highly fluctuating price of Ni. Outokumpu will start powder production on their new plant and powder is validated in different downstream processes connected to case studies

Li-ion batteries are a key technology for e-mobility. To supply the rapidly growing battery industry with sustainable and high-quality carbon additives, the low carbon footprint Acetylene Black of Orion and the resource-efficient Carbon Nanotubes of Arkema will be upscaled, combined and commercialized. The materials will be evaluated on lab and pilot scale by the Fraunhofer, Aalto and Customcells. An LCA will be performed by University Bordeaux.

To meet the goals of the European Green Deal’s Circular Economy Action Plan and support the implementation of the new Batteries Regulation, a holistic battery LCA database will be created to enable more reliable and relevant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies. The database will be commercialized by ecoinvent in cooperation with a new start-up (created within the project), which will offer unique benchmarking, certification and consulting services as well as new tools and datasets.

The IMAGINE-III project is the extension of the successful legacy KAVA IMAGINE-I and IMAGINE-II projects. A consortium of five top universities and 1 industry partner, established 8 double master degree tracks that deliver the EIT-Labelled Sustainable Materials (SUMA) Master Programme. IMAGINE-III will expand the consortium to RIS countries, add digitalization into curricula and strengthen the SUMA innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives.

There is a strong need to implement Rare-Earths recycling technologies in large-scale systems. The INSPIRES project aims at recovering and supplying Rare-Earths within the EU through radical innovations in the recycling of permanent magnets, focusing on one of the most readily available sources: home appliances. INSPIRES will optimize methods at industrial scale for sustainable extraction and recycling and use of recycled magnets in new motors.

The project will establish courses that train industry professionals, making them “material risk managers” capable to identify and take action to mitigate their specific company supply risks. The trainings will be connected to a newly established conference on criticality, which will be the internationally leading platform to discuss global trends in criticality and share industry practices. A special focus will be on REEs in magnetic motors.

LYDIA aims to commercialize low cost components (30% lower to commercial) for hydrogen devices (fuel cell, electrolyzers) through recycling end of life membrane electrode assembly (MEAs) and extraction of PGMs. The new LYDIA unit through a joint venture will recycle 3 M MEAs to produce 200 kg PGM electrocatalysts and 36000 m2 Nafion membrane, to be applied in new MEAs and be utilised in the manufacturing of low-cost green energy production devices for e-mobility.

Development and consolidation of the MEITIM EIT Label MSc program (120 ECTS) to train and educate the new generations of technologists and entrepreneurs that will understand the whole raw materials value chain and will have the ability to integrate innovations and new technologies into innovative and feasible business solutions with high impact and added value in the raw materials industry.

Highly focused on strategic issues (Raw Materials, Sustainability, Design for Circularity, Traceability methodologies), MILLE Project will elaborate flexible lifelong learning modules, certified via the Micro-credentials approach, and made available to a wide audience of professionals and engineers. These modules will be tailored involving stakeholders representing hundreds of Companies & SMEs, and thus thousands of workers. Learning efficiency will be persecuted by high quality paths and tools.

NEW-RE will tackle the recycling challenge of Neodymium permanent magnets (PMs) and of spent lamps contained in electronic waste and e-mobility electric motors. The target is to recycle rare earth elements (REEs) by scaling up a hydrometallurgical process that will produce REEs oxides and iron pigment. Considering the time-consuming activities of dismantling the magnets, an innovative solution for the automatic dismantling of PMs will be developed and its sustainability assessed with LCA/LCC.