As part of the EUNICoast European university alliance, a group of nine engineering students in Environmental and Materials Sciences completed a one-week mobility placement in Majorca, hosted by the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). This stay forms part of a broader dynamic of academic and scientific cooperation between European coastal institutions, offering students a rare opportunity to experience their training within an international university environment.

A multifaceted and formative experience

  • Campus discovery: Guided tour of UIB’s facilities, including laboratories, materials research centres, and student living spaces set within an exceptional Mediterranean environment.
  • Academic encounters: Exchanges with lecturer-researchers and Spanish students on pedagogical practices.
  • Industry & circular economy: Visits to local companies specialising in waste recovery, highlighting the concrete career opportunities available to materials engineers.
  • EUNICoast culture: Shared values, cross-disciplinary projects, and a vision of higher education with a European dimension.

Waste upcycling at the heart of concerns

Beyond the university walls, the students had the opportunity to visit Majorcan companies committed to waste recovery and the circular economy – a rapidly expanding sector on island territories, which face specific challenges in resource management.

These visits enabled students to draw connections between the theoretical foundations of materials science and operational realities on the ground: sorting, reprocessing, recycling of composite materials, industrial waste management, and the production of secondary raw materials.

EUNICoast: Europe through its coastlines

EUNICoast is an alliance of European coastal universities committed to student mobility, collaborative research, and the sharing of educational resources.

This partnership with the University of the Balearic Islands reflects the vitality of the network: students travelling, learning, and together laying the foundations of a shared European academic identity.