A new study program addressing the challenges of the future – biomaterials instead of fossil resources

Europe consumes tens of millions of tonnes of plastics annually, a significant share of which is used in packaging, while over 90% of production relies on imported petrochemical feedstocks. At the same time, Poland and the Central European region possess vast, largely untapped potential of lignocellulosic biomass derived from agriculture, forestry, and processing industries. The new program aligns with the strategic need to transform this resource into the foundation of a modern materials industry.

Biomass as the foundation of next-generation materials

BIOPRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY focuses on converting biomass into advanced materials and high value-added products. This includes cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin, which provide renewable alternatives to synthetic polymers.

These components enable the development of materials applicable across key sectors of the economy:

• future packaging – biodegradable and molded fiber materials compliant with EU regulations on plastic reduction,
• precision agriculture – biodegradable seed coatings and controlled-release fertilizer systems,
• construction and transport – lightweight lignocellulosic composites with a reduced carbon footprint,
• environmental protection – sorbents and materials for water and wastewater treatment,
• pharmaceuticals and cosmetics – biocompatible hydrogels and formulation stabilizers,
• energy and energy storage – lignin-based carbon materials used, among others, in electrochemistry.

A response to the European industrial strategy

The program aligns with key European Union policy documents, including the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Plastics Strategy, and the STEP initiative on critical technologies. In particular, it advances areas such as biomass-based technologies as renewable feedstock sources, advanced bio-based materials, circular economy technologies, and industrial transformation technologies, including the use of lignin in modern energy systems.

In practice, this means developing technologies that enable the substitution of imported petrochemical resources with locally sourced biomass, shortening supply chains, and strengthening the EU’s economic and technological resilience.

Education for the industry of the future

The BIOPRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY program has been designed through close collaboration between six faculties of the Poznań University of Life Sciences, combining expertise in natural sciences, engineering, biotechnology and economics. Students acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in biomass processing, process design, materials research, and product safety validation.
The curriculum includes courses such as: Biopolymers and Bioproducts, Biomass Processing and Application, Sustainable Technological Process Design, and Biowaste Management and Valorisation.

A strategic investment in resource security

The establishment of the BIOPRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY program is not only an expansion of the educational offer but also part of a broader strategy to strengthen resource, technological, and environmental security. Biomaterials developed within the program support the circular economy, reduce environmental pressure, and foster the growth of an independent European materials industry.

The new program prepares specialists capable of designing and implementing solutions that will form the foundation of the transition toward a sustainable, low-emission economy of the future.

Iwona Cieślik
PULS Press Officer