Even after seeing circular economy concepts many times during the master, finishing the edX MOOC “Circular Economy: An Introduction” was surprisingly refreshing and helped to dive deeper into ideas that now feel much more concrete. Revisiting the topic with a structured focus on real cases and design strategies made the whole picture of a circular system more practical and connected to engineering decisions.
The real business cases were the highlight: Caterpillar’s approach to remanufacturing, the textile examples, and the urban mining perspective all showed how circularity can actually work at scale instead of staying as theory. The course also deepened the understanding of the butterfly diagram as a map of how materials circulate in biological and technical cycles, clarifying where strategies like reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling sit in the hierarchy. The favorite part, though, was design for assembly and its close link with design for disassembly within the circular economy. As a mechanical engineer, topics like fastener selection, modular architecture, and ease of access to components resonate strongly, because they directly determine how simple or difficult it will be to repair, upgrade, or remanufacture a product later on.
Beyond the content itself, this course also connects strongly to a broader Personal Learning Environment, where edX plays a central role as a flexible platform to explore new topics and deepen existing interests. Being able to choose MOOCs from different universities, follow them at a personal pace, and combine them with the master’s curriculum turns edX into a kind of experimental lab for continuous learning, reflection, and skill building.
About MARIA GODOY VIVAR
Hello, my name is Maria Jose, but you can call me Majo. I studied mechanical engineer in Ecuador (back home). I worked in the plastics and metals recycling industry, where I discovered I wanted to continue my studies in materials science, which is why I'm here in this master's program. Outside of my professional life, I love animals, desserts, and hiking.
Hello Majo,
I really enjoy your sharing, I did the same MOOC and I share your point of view.
Thank you for sharing ! Have a good day 🙂