Guidelines

A visual and interactive presentation of research of field-based feedback during dedicated sessions lasting from 30 minutes to 1 hour. Authors are expected to be present throughout the scheduled time to discuss their work.

Each individual presentation will last 15 minutes. Presentations will be grouped into thematic sessions of 3 to 4 contributions. At the end of each session, 15 minutes will be devoted to collective questions and comments addressed to all presenters.

Proposals for oral presentations and posters are expected in electronic form via the following submission form:

A thematic panel together 3 ou 4 speakers around a shared transversal issue, each representing complementary disciplinary or professional experiences. The session is facilitated by a moderator, who allocates 15 to 20 minutes to each participant for their main presentation. The remaining 30 minutes are devoted to a collective discussion, moderated and open to questions and comments from the audience.

Proposals for thematic panels must include a thematic framing text (1-2) pages, the list of planned presentations, and the intended modalities of facilitation. Proposals should be submitted electronically via the following form:

Proposals for scientific contributions are expected from both established and emerging researchers wishing to present findings from ongoing or completed research. These contributions may adopt inductive or deductive approaches, qualitative or quantitative methods, and may draw from a wide range of disciplines (economics, management, geography, sociology, law, design, engineering, urban studies, etc.).

Communications may pursue several objectives: theoretical deepening, conceptual development, empirical testing, model building, or methodological innovation. Critical approaches, contributions from the Global South, and research addressing controversies, conflicts, or tensions in the implementation of circular strategies will be particularly valued.

Expected contributions may address, among others, the following themes:

• Transition from linear economic models to circular logics;
• Governance of material flows at the urban or industrial scale;
• Analysis of institutional barriers to circularity;
• Reconfiguration of global value chains under environmental constraints;

Impact modeling, circularity indicators, hybridizations of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and sociology of uses.

This category is particularly aimed at practitioners, consultants, local authorities, NGOs, cooperatives, companies, or consortia engaged in projects related to circularity. It seeks to highlight concrete, contextualized experiments that can serve as inspiration, reference points, or critical resources for other actors and researchers.

Case studies may focus on circular policies, territorially based industrial projects, social or technological innovations, sectoral or occupational transformations, or collaborative governance mechanisms. The objective is to document the frameworks, implementation conditions, actors involved, observed effects, and lessons learned, including the challenges encountered.

Originality, transferability, and reflexive capacity to draw lessons from the experience will be key evaluation criteria.

This section welcomes proposals that explore alternative forms of knowledge production and practice transformation, whether through experimental arrangements, collaborative approaches, or innovative educational tools.

Proposals may include:

• Feedback on living labs or fabrication labs (fablabs) oriented toward circularity;
• Education or training initiatives for the transition (pedagogical packages, interdisciplinary programs, MOOCS, immersive tools);
• Participatory or collaborative methods (actor mapping, serious games, design fiction, open foresight);
• Artistic projects addressing ecological transformation.

These proposals must demonstrate a sufficient level of analysis to make explicit the methodological choices, facilitation principles, theoretical frameworks mobilized, and lessons learned in terms of individual or collective change.

In a clear effort to support early-career scholars and strengthen research communities, the conference offers two complementary formats:

• Doctoral Posters

Doctoral posters provide PhD candidates, whether at the beginning or mid-stage of their research, with the opportunity to present the state of their work, including its theoretical foundations, hypotheses, methodology, and preliminary results. A dedicated exhibition and discussion space will be organized for these contributions, with formal recognition in the conference proceedings.

• Thematic Panels

Thematic panels are designed to bring together several contributions around a common transversal issue. Proposals must involve at least two distinct institutions and include a short thematic framing note (1-2 pages) specifying the shared problem statement, the planned presentations, and the modalities of facilitation (e.g. joint moderation, dialogue-based format).

Both formats aim to strengthen collective dynamics, foster networking, and enable the emergence of inter-institutional collaborations at national and international scales.

All individuals wishing to submit a contribution are invited to provide a proposal in the form of an extended abstract, with a maximum length of 500 words (excluding references). This intermediate format combines the conciseness expected in a call for papers with the level of detail required for rigorous scientific evaluation. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the following links:

• Submission link for posters and oral presentations: https://forumtunisieneducation.org/formulaire-economie-circulaire/
• Submission link for thematic panels: https://forumtunisieneducation.org/formulaire-panels-thematiques/

Each proposal must include the following elements:

• A clear, informative title representative of the content.
• Full name(s), affiliation(s), and email address(es) of the author(s).
• Type of contribution: scientific article, case study, experimental initiative, doctoral poster, or panel proposal.
• Axis of communication (maximum of two choices, ranked in order of priority; final allocation by the scientific committee).
• Up to 5 keywords reflecting the main concepts, disciplinary fields, or issues addressed.

Structured abstract including the following elements:

• Clearly stated problem, contextualized within ongoing scientific or professional debates.
• Objectives of the contribution (theoretical, empirical, methodological, or operational).
• Methodology used, including analytical frameworks or empirical tools where relevant.
• Expected results or main findings (even if provisional).
• Relevance and originality, in connection with the thematic axes of the conference.

An indicative bibliography (3 to 10 references), prepared according to a recognized citation style (APA or Chicago), is also required. The objective is to situate the proposal within an existing body of work and to enable a critical and informed review by the scientific committee. The absence of references will be considered a criterion of non-compliance.

For more information, please contact us at: eco.circulaire.fcie5tn@gmail.com

Accepted Languages

In the interest of accessibility, inclusivity, and epistemological pluralism, the conference accepts proposals written in both French and English, the official languages of the event.

Each proposal will be assessed according to a grid comprising seven fundamental dimensions:

1.Relevance to the conference axes

• Ability to clearly align with one or more of the defined thematic axes.
• Contribution to understanding the issues of circular transition in connection with the themes addressed (environment, consumption, work, governance).

2.Clarity and precision of the research problem

• Explicit formulation of the research question, objective, or issue explored.
• Capacity to situate the subject of study within existing literature or a relevant professional context.

3.Originality of the approach or contribution

• Innovative contribution, new perspective, or under-documented case.
• Relevance of the contribution to current scientific, social, or political debates.

4.Methodological soundness

• Clarity of the theoretical and/or methodological framework employed.
• Internal coherence between objectives, methods, and expected results.

5.Rigor of writing and structuring

• Careful presentation, clear and precise language, logical articulation of ideas.
• The document must be submitted in Work or PDF format, Times New Roman, 12 pt, single spacing, standard margins. No specific formatting or graphic elements (images, tables, figures) are required, unless explicitly justified, in order to facilitate anonymous review.

6.Practical and interdisciplinary impact

• Ability to foster interdisciplinary or cross-sectoral dialogue.
• Applicability, transferability, or potential contribution to public policy, social innovation, or organizational change.

7.Quality of the indicative bibliography

Each criterion is evaluated on a qualitative scale (excellent / very satisfactory / satisfactory / needs improvement / insufficient), with a dedicated space for comments. Reviewers are also invited to recommend an orientation within the conference program (scientific session, panel, workshop, poster) or to suggest editorial support for promising texts that require additional guidance.

The circular economy, as a systemic transformation project, involves a plurality of actors with varied rationalities, constraints, and knowledge. The ambition of this conference is precisely to welcome this diversity, by facilitating the joint participation of researchers, practitioners, decision-makers, and citizens engaged in the transition. The conference format, its thematic structure, and its submission procedures are designed to encourage intersectoral and intergenerational exchanges, in a spirit of co-learning and collective knowledge construction.

Researchers, young researchers and doctoral students

The call is primarily aimed at the academic community, encompassing its disciplinary, geographic, and generational diversity. Experienced researchers, professors, postdoctoral fellows, and early or late-stage doctoral students are invited to submit individual or group presentations.

Special attention will be paid to young researchers, who will benefit from a dedicated format (doctoral posters, see section 4.4), as well as structured discussion time with members of the scientific committee. These initiatives aim to promote the visibility of emerging research and support the structuring of international scientific networks (Leshem & Bitzer, 2021; Manathunga, 2014).

Interdisciplinary, experimental or inter-institutional collaboration contributions will be encouraged, as will those developed in the contexts of the Global South, where research is often closely linked to territorial action or social innovation.

Institutional actors, businesses, NGOs, communities

This conference is designed as a space for the intersection of academic production and situated knowledge derived from action. It is therefore aimed at local government executives, green economy professionals, circular entrepreneurs, members of civil society, consultants, representatives of NGOs and cooperation agencies, as well as officials from ministries or local authorities involved in transition policies.

These stakeholders are invited to submit case studies, experimental designs, or feedback, which will be subject to rigorous scientific analysis (see sections 4.2 and 4.3), while recognizing the specific nature of their knowledge production methods. This recognition is based on a broader conception of research as a collaborative process, anchored in contexts of action (Nowotny et al., 2001; Mitchell et al., 2015). Collaborative workshop formats or multi-stakeholder panels may also be proposed, with the aim of facilitating dialogue between public institutions, professional circles and research communities.

Articulation with practice environments and civic engagement

In the context of the ecological and inclusive transition, citizens, community associations, informal collectives, and grassroots cooperatives play a fundamental role in creating circular solutions adapted to local realities. This is why the conference aims to recognize the legitimacy of knowledge formats derived from experience, mobilization, or self-management, by creating a space for expression for these actors, who are often marginalized in formal scientific forums (Santos, 2014; Hall & Tandon, 2017).

Non-hierarchical discussion sessions, open formats, and participatory activities will be integrated into the program, in a spirit of knowledge symmetry. The presence of facilitators and the possibility of linguistic mediation will strengthen this accessibility. Thus, the conference aims to bring together academic expertise, practical skills, and civic intelligence, with a view to cognitive justice and ecological democracy.