This is another important step confirming that Slovenia is a major player on the European scale with regard to activities related to the green transition. This also ties directly with the main efforts of the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport to increase the use of wood, especially in the context of green public procurement.

The New European Bauhaus Academy consortium consists of 14 partners from different European countries: Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands. With its expertise, it brings together not only a geographically large part of Europe, which will make it easier to influence the regional and national building sector, but also diverse partners at different levels of research, teaching, decision-making and opinion-forming – academic institutions, research centres, public authorities and European networks. The University of Primorska has a special connection in the consortium with the Estonian Academy of Art (EKA, Tallinn), as they are both members of Transform 4 Europe, thus fostering engagement and partnership in an international network.

The New European Bauhaus Academy, announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in November 2022, has been set up to promote new skills at all levels of the construction industry. This will develop skills for sustainable construction with innovative materials. It will focus on the NEB's values of sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion, promoting a circular bio-economy and supporting the implementation of the European Green Deal. It is funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU). Only one winner was selected in the call for proposals, and the work was entrusted to a consortium led by the University of Primorska.