Welcome to Sustainability Circularity and Product Policies

Description: With the EU Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, EU has set up an elaborated roadmap for tackling the climate crisis. The product policies are an important part of the roadmap, and the scope is currently being broadened extensively, meaning that all products on the European market, with only a few exemptions, will be covered by minimum performance requirements. These product policies will therefore have a major impact on all sectors, all companies who bring products to the European market, all authorities involved in the implementation and enforcement of the legislation, and consumers.

The aim of this course is to introduce PhD candidates to product policies and how these can help the sustainable and circular transition, with a special focus on the EU. The course provides PhD candidates with an in-depth engagement in key elements within product policies, the practice of implementation and efficiency of the policies.

The course introduces the PhD candidates to the core of sustainable and circular product policies, and the dynamics of different policy instruments. Participants will be introduced to current/recent directives, regulations, and proposals as well as current issues and debates surrounding the policies.

The course features a mix of onsite and online lectures, peer group discussions, and company perspectives.

The course is relevant for PhD students from a wide range of areas such as law, industry, design, environmental science, and engineering.

No prerequisites, other than an interest in environmental product policies. The Course is relevant for PhD students from a wide range of areas such as law, industry, design, environmental science, and engineering.

Learning objectives: 

By attending this course, the students will

• Gain thorough knowledge of the vast array of environmental product policies, with a particular focus on the EU
• Gain an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of the policies and standards supporting the policies, how they are intended to support a sustainable transition, and how the policies sometimes unintended counteract the transition.
• Be able to reflect and discuss how their specific field of research is influenced by the product policies, and how they can navigate the policies.

Organizer: Rikke Dorothea Huulgaard

Lecturers: Associate Professor Rikke Dorothea Huulgaard, Associate Professor Anja Marie Bundgaard, Professor Arne Remmen, Assistant Professor Heidi Simone Kristensen, Aalborg University, and Senior Lecturer Carl Dalhammar, Lund University, Sweden.

Time: 3 - 5 November (Aalborg), 3 December 2025 (online)

Place: Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg

Maximal number of participants: 15

Deadline: 13 October 2025

Important information concerning PhD courses: 

There is a no-show fee of DKK 3,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before the start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately four months before start of the course.

We cannot ensure any seats before the deadline for enrolment, all participants will be informed after the deadline, approximately 3 weeks before the start of the course. 

For inquiries regarding registration, cancellation or waiting list, please contact the PhD administration at phdcourses@adm.aau.dk When contacting us please state the course title and course period. Thank you.