Access to clean and affordable energy is an important basis for the sustainable development of a country and for the quality of life of the population. The universities can contribute with the supply of skilled human resources and through relevant research objectives. Distributed Renewable Energy Systems are now emerging as competitive alternatives to the extensions of the national electrical grid. This is an area of energy technology calling for innovation and new technical solutions (small scale combined hydro, wind, solar and bioenergy). Universities taking on these challenges, with a problem solving approach, can then have a direct impact on the society. The partner universities have collaborated on research and education in energy technology during the last 10 years. The results have been new and sustainable master programs on renewable energy technology at all universities. The partners now acknowledge the needs for strengthening the doctoral programs. As doctoral programs are research intensive, as the number of PhD candidates currently is quite low and as the university resources are limited, a cost efficient path towards improved PhD programs is to approach this jointly.The main outputs of the combined efforts among the Curriculum Partners will be a joint curriculum (Joint PhD Course Catalogue) and joint access to improved and specialized research facilities (Training Nodes). The long term aim is that this university network shall be sustained as a Network of Excellence in the area of Energy Technology. The further continuing improvements of laboratory resources and educational material shall be accessible to the Network Partners, and also facilitate the development of PhD level programs at the Training Partners in the project.
The objectives of the joint efforts in UNET are to develop PhD courses in Energy Technology (Joint PhD Course Catalogue), to improve laboratory-based training facilities (Training Nodes) and to evaluate the results during an implementation period. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed where the intention is that further improvements of the courses and the training facilities shall be available for UNET partners also in the future.
Many of the UNET partner universities have collaborated on research and education in energy technology during the last 10 years. UNET has extended the group of universities and elevated the educational collaboration from the master level to the PhD level. As the numbers of PhD candidates are quite few and as the university resources are limited, a cost-efficient way of improving PhD programs is to join forces. PhD courses and training facilities have therefore been developed jointly in UNET.
<< Background >> Many of the UNET partner universities have collaborated on research and education in energy technology during the last 10 years. UNET has extended the group of universities and elevated the educational collaboration from the master level to the PhD level. As the numbers of PhD candidates are quite few and as the university resources are limited, a cost-efficient way of improving PhD programs is to join forces. PhD courses and training facilities have therefore been developed jointly in UNET. << Objectives >> The objectives of the joint efforts in UNET are to develop PhD courses in Energy Technology (Joint PhD Course Catalogue), to improve laboratory-based training facilities (Training Nodes) and to evaluate the results during an implementation period. A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed where the intention is that further improvements of the courses and the training facilities shall be available for UNET partners also in the future. << Implementation >> A list of courses and mapping of existing training facilities were established in a preparational phase of UNET. The development phase included preparation of PhD courses by cross-institutional Working Groups and improvement of specialized training facilities at partner institutions. A selection of courses was evaluated by PhD students during an implementation phase, which also included research visits to the Training Nodes. Working together in 7 Workshops was very motivating and efficient. << Results >> The main results of the UNET project are the description of 17 courses and the course material in the Joint PhD Course Catalogue. The areas of the specialized training facilities include Hydro Power at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Solar Thermal Energy at Makerere University in Uganda, Solar Photovoltaics at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique, Wind Energy at Mekelle University in Ethiopia and Computational simulations at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.