Capacity building and education are key enablers of circular economy (CE) transitions, strengthening institutional capabilities and supporting CE implementation, particularly in regions with critical development needs. This paper presents the outcomes of a training programme developed to enhance CE capacity among built environment practitioners in a country in the Global South. The training programme sought to address both conceptual understanding and practical application of CE, employing knowledge dissemination and participatory approaches embedded within multi-stakeholder collaborative activities. The pedagogical framework was centred on transformative learning, implemented through interactivity, non-prescriptive methods, and sustainability storytelling. Feedback from international and national experts was integrated to refine the pedagogy design, enhance technical depth, and strengthen local relevance. The pilot workshop, conducted over two consecutive days, served as a collaborative hub, bringing together 20 participants from 15 organisations, including stakeholders such as building material producers and suppliers, architecture and design consultancies, policy and advisory, real estate developers and research and development institutions. Through collaborative activities, supported by facilitator inputs, participants identified key factors, solutions, and interventions for advancing CE in the urban housing sector in the country, while also highlighting priority areas required to strengthen its implementation. Survey feedback revealed strong participant satisfaction with the interactive design, content relevance, and depth of intellectual engagement. The workshop further enabled the practitioners to question linear models and engage with systems thinking to integrate CE strategies into built environment projects. The outcomes emphasised the importance of locally contextualised training and capacity-building initiatives in supporting emerging economies, positioning CE as a strategic pathway to meet housing and infrastructure needs, while preventing high-emission and unsustainable development trajectories.