European top universities join forces in energy research

The focus on Sustainable Energy Technologies was chosen for multiple reasons: to initiate a research and innovation driven combat against climate change, to provide society with security of energy supply and to stimulate economic growth and development.

For this a European graduate school is thought to be the best way. Goals are: establishing a 'school of thought' to foster the development of excellent young scientists, presenting the students with a vibrant, strong and international research community, and covering a wide range of topics and specialisations. For every new project, two existing projects are brought into the school, making it a unique cooperation with more than twenty internationally renowned professors and sixty research projects.

Diverse topics

Every university is hiring five PhD students and two postgraduates. The fifteen new PhD students and six postgraduates are going to work on topics as diverse as solar cells, biofuels and hydrogen storage, all under the theme 'The molecular approach to sustainable energy".

Summer and Winter schools

The new graduate school in Sustainable Energy Technologies will be based on a number of themes. The first theme is 'The Molecular approach to sustainable energy'. Researchers of each theme will meet regularly, but at least twice a year, in Summer and Winter Schools. These serve primarily as platforms for knowledge exchange between researchers and students. Along with the exchange of MSc and PhD students and postgraduates, important elements will be lecture programs, guest courses and the serving as opponents in PhD committees by participating professors.

Students who successfully complete the educational program of the graduate school will get a certificate of the graduate school in addition to the PhD degree they receive from their home university. The graduate school will over time also comprise MSc programs.

Source: Eindhoven University of Technology