WHAT IS
THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

Currently, most of what we consume flows through a linear, ‘take, make, waste’ economy, in which products and materials are made, used, and then thrown away. A Circular Economy, by contrast, focuses on regeneration, restoration, and re-use at all stages of a resource’s life cycle. This allows products, materials, and components to remain in circulation at their highest value for the longest period, and the waste generated by a linear economy is designed out from the start. 

What is
the CE-Hub?

The CE-Hub is the coordinating Hub for the NICER Programme, a four-year programme working to provide the evidence base needed to deliver a resilient and restorative Circular Economy for the UK. The Hub works with the five UKRI National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research Centres, and brings together academics, industry practitioners, policy makers and civic society to deliver CE research and innovation.

The Five
CE Centres

There are five UKRI National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research Centres that make up the NICER Programme alongside the Hub. Each Centre is focused on a speciality material, industry, or resource flow, and is conducting research and innovation on how circularity can be implemented to each of these major material flows. To find out more about each Centre and its research, click here.

Knowledge Hub
access the latest research

A resource centre for policy makers and businesses to access the latest research and knowledge on the CE.

Easy to explore, supported by high-level synopsis and grounded in academic rigour, the Knowledge Hub offers a repository and signposting service to share and disseminate CE learning and activity.

Access the Hub
Close up of copper wheel and spokes

CE Stories
Circular Economy in Action

Bringing Circular Economy to life, our CE Stories showcase innovative organisations across the UK. If you are working in this area and would like to share your story, do contact us.

Read More

Latest News

CE-HUB TO PLAY MAJOR ROLE IN WORLD’S FIRST UN-BACKED CENTRE FOR CIRCULAR ECONOMY RESEARCH

The University of Exeter CE-Hub is a partner in a new United Nations-backed centre that will propel the …

Find Out More

COP28: Reflections from a PhD Student

At the end of 2023, CE Hub PhD Students Margo Reynolds and Morin Akeredolu-Ale attended the 28th Conference …

Find Out More

Third Round of Funded Circular Economy Feasibility Studies Announced!

Following a competitive process, we are pleased to announce that two innovative projects have been selected for funding …

Find Out More

Latest Events

Launch of the Circular Economy Roadmap Dashboard

21/03/2024

Join the CE-Hub as we guide you through the CE Roadmap Dashboard for its official launch. Dr Halid …

Find Out More

Moving towards a circular MedTech sector – CE Hub Lunchtime Webinar

07/03/2024

On Thursday 7th March, the CE-Hub held the official launch of the first of their CEctor reports entitled …

Find Out More

Handbook of the Circular Economy – CE Hub Lunchtime Webinar

14/12/2023

The final lunchtime webinar of the year for 2023 celebrated the launch of the recently published Handbook of …

Find Out More