Circularity and sustainability will make the business environment more competitive in the long run, and to achieve this goal, it is necessary to evolve business practices and create new business models based on the best circularity practices. In this framework, business models based on Industrial Symbiosis (IS) are an enabling factor that could realize green growth and accelerate the implementation of the Circular Economy (CE). IS is a business opportunity for ecological innovation, and its implementation can lead to a reduction in production costs, simultaneously creating lower production costs and environmental and social benefits for the involved companies.

This awareness gives rise to the Erasmus+ project "IN.S.E.T. – INDustrial Symbiosis capacity building for Enterprises and related actors through a disruptive, digital, and pragmatic Training and awareness approach," n. 2023-1-FR01-KA220-VET-000158456 consistent with the program's goals of environmental protection and combating climate change. It also represents a strategy to adapt professional training to the new needs of the labor market and increase the attractiveness of vocational training systems.

The project is led by the University of Strasbourg, joined by partners with established experiences in Professional Training for Industrial Symbiosis such as SFC Sistemi Formativi Confindustria in Italy, CETEM and Simbiosy in Spain, the Regional Development Agency of Podravje in Slovenia, which have already collaborated in "INSIGHT – Fostering Industrial Symbiosis through the development of a novel and innovative training approach." Also joining is Syxis VSI, a digital and green development agency in Lithuania.

The project's focus is to activate collaborations among local actors and networks aimed at defining a common methodology for the development of Industrial Symbiosis. It aims to develop a set of tools, including a training program accessible via an app, to increase knowledge and raise awareness among strategic actors for Industrial Symbiosis development. The project also aims to establish an observatory for collecting key information (regulatory framework, available training courses, best practices, etc.) on Industrial Symbiosis, outline a policy brief with 7 main activities to guide decision-makers and interest representatives towards the implementation of local Industrial Symbiosis projects.

The project targets businesses, training institutions, and innovation agents as expressions of the partnership, along with an extensive program to engage stakeholders from the development systems of France, Spain, Slovenia, Lithuania, and Italy.

IN.S.E.T. pursues the following objectives:

1. Raise awareness among business networks, innovation operators, providers of education and professional training, and other organizations about the concept of Industrial Symbiosis and the need for its real implementation.
2. Develop a capacity-building methodology that addresses all the skills and competencies necessary for business networks and related actors.
3. Launch an INSET toolkit developed from various resources and aimed at actors interested in understanding Industrial Symbiosis.
4. Make available a collaborative archive that will serve as the basis for cooperation and communication on the concept of Industrial Symbiosis, collecting a wide range of information and training.
5. Encourage policymakers and local, regional, and national communities to adapt concrete approaches to Industrial Symbiosis.
6. Break down barriers between businesses and IFP (Innovation and Professional Training), creating common methods and skills to increase the quality of IFP offerings and professional training.

The project, initiated in November 2023, will conclude in October 2026