Latin American-European network on waste electrical and electronic equipment research, development and analyses

Against the background of increasing quantities of waste from electrical & electronic equipment (e-waste), lacking recycling infrastructure for adequate treatment and lacking know how in this field, the project LaWEEda aims at strengthening Universities in Brazil and Nicaragua in their education in the field of e-waste management and entrepreneurship and collaboration with businesses. The LaWEEda consortium consists of 3 European universities, 4 Universities and 4 business partners in the target region.The project aims at improving the dialogue between research and practice by establishing regional Collaboration & Training Centres serving as knowledge hubs and interface, thus enhancing the quality of educational products. Further this improves the employability of graduates at University level and of practicioners at CPD-level and supports sustainable entrepreneurship. Developing and implementing new and innovative educational products along with the establishment of two Collaboration & Training Centres (one in Brazil and Nicaragua each) will lead to the following results:• Qualified graduates from Universities in e-waste management• Provision of trained and skilled workers as well as persons with entrepreneurial spirit and skills to start own businesses• Increasing employability of graduates and practitioners, inclusion of informal recyclers as socially deprived parts of society, improving social cohesion• Equipping education and training providers with modern teaching tools and approaches An improved information basis on available and lacking education will be created, the Collaboration & Trainings Centres developed, new and innovative educational products for academic use and for CPD evolved.For the LaWEEda Centres business plans were developed in order to ensure sustainability. Through the course of the project a wider network of stakeholders in e-waste management was established, aiming at a scaling up of the activities to other parts of Latin America.