European Universities for a Clean Energy Future

Credits: © Université de Lorraine

The EUA Energy and Environment Platform (EUA-EPUE), in collaboration with EIT InnoEnergy, organised a two-day conference on the topic "European Universities for a Clean Energy Future: Interdisciplinary Education, Training and Research". More than 90 participants attended the event, hosted by the Université de Lorraine in Nancy, France. The conference was kindly supported by the Lorraine Université d’Excellence programme, the Conférence des présidents d'université (CPU) and the Métropole Grand Nancy.

Energy Clustering Event 2018

The event aimed to discuss opportunities for building European partnerships for the delivery of innovative interdisciplinary education and research programmes. The event took as a starting point the recommendations elaborated in the recently published report “An Action Agenda for European Universities”, a strategic document that arose from the work of the UNI-SET project. The report intends to provide a framework for universities across Europe to take initiatives and develop interdisciplinary cooperation in the energy and environmental field, based on an analysis of skills required by the business sector.

In this context, the conference in Nancy featured several sessions on energy education and research in the fields of energy efficiency, renewables integration and storage, smart energy systems and Carbon Capture Storage and Use (CCU/S). The participants were also able to interact to develop and test ideas for innovative programmes and tools in a world café setting. A mix of speakers from higher education, industry and public administration ensured a rich and engaging dialogue among the attendees.

Professor Torbjørn Digernes, Chair of EUA-EPUE, stated: "During the two days of discussions at the Université de Lorraine, EUA-EPUE could make important progress in supporting universities to develop state-of-the-art education and research programmes. We could also listen to a range of perspectives and ideas which will help define the next activities of the platform in the context of the SET-Plan. We strongly believe in the role of universities to create an energy clean and sustainable Europe and wish to support this endeavour through the EUA-EPUE platform.”

“Université de Lorraine is proud to contribute to building a real community of universities involved in clean-energy topics and able to cooperate. The next phase will be the implementation of the actions discussed during the event in Nancy”, added Professor Fabrice Lemoine, leader of the ‘Energies for the Future Challenge’ of the Lorraine Université d’Excellence programme, and local host of the event.

For EUA-EPUE, the conference was another step towards consolidating its own portfolio of activities in the energy and environment field and tofurther promote the outcomes of the UNI-SET project (2014-2017), which it carried out in collaboration with KU Leuven and EIT InnoEnergy. The partnership between EUA-EPUE and EIT InnoEnergy will continue by providing future support to universities and frameworks for further cooperation with the business sector.

 

In collaboration with

  • Day 1

    13.00 - 13.15
    Welcome Addresses

    Prof. Pierre Mutzenhardt, Rector, University of Lorraine; President of Research, Commission of CPU

    Prof. Torbjørn Digernes, Chair of the EUA Energy and Environment Platform; former Rector, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

    13.15 - 13.45
    Setting the scene

    Dr Frederic Ravel, Scientific Director of the Sector Energy, Sustainable, Development, Chemistry and Processes; Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation

    Prof. Fabrice Lemoine, Energies for the future, Lorraine Université d'Excellence

    13.45 - 14.15
    Plenary Session: Partnering to deliver interdisciplinary education, training and research programmes (Part I)

    Introduction to the event objectives

    Prof. Torbjørn Digernes, Chair of the EUA Energy and Environment Platform; former Rector, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

    Dr Lidia Borrell-Damian, Director for Research & Innovation, European University Association

    Insights from innovative practices in industry-education collaboration

    Prof. Josep Bordonau, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya; MSc School Director, EIT InnoEnergy

    Prof. Juan Jess Perez , Vice-Rector for International Policy, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

    14.45 - 15.30
    Plenary Session: Partnering to deliver interdisciplinary education, training and research programmes (Part II)

    Insights from the Action Agenda report

    Dr Douglas Halliday, Durham Energy Institute, Durham University

    Prof. Fabrice Lemoine, Energies for the future, Lorraine Université d'Excellence Programme

    Prof. Mihaela Albu, Politehnica University of Bucharest

    Dr Wim Melis, Greenwich University

    15.30 - 17.30
    Parallel sessions: Partnerships and key challenges of emerging European clusters to take forward the “Action Agenda”

    1) Energy Efficiency

    Dr Jay Sterling Gregg, Technical University of Denmark; EERA JP “Economic, environmental and social impacts”

    Dr Sjoerd de Vries, University of Twente

    Prof. Vincent Chevrier, Computer Science Lab, University of Lorraine

    Moderator: Prof. Fabrice Lemoine, Energies for the future, Lorraine Université d'Excellence
    Rapporteur: Dr Wim Melis, Greenwich University

    2) Renewable Integration and Energy Storage

    Dr Kristin Guldbrandsen Frysa, University of Bergen

    Prof. Carlos Del Caizo, University Politehnica of Madrid

    Prof. Michel Deshaies, Geography Lab, University of Lorraine

    Moderator: Dr Douglas Halliday, Durham University
    Rapporteur: Ms Kamila Kozirog, EUA

    3) Smart and Flexible Energy Systems

    Prof. Annuka Jokipii, University of Vaasa

    Prof. Kjetil Uhlen, NTNU

    Prof. Frank Eliassen, University of Oslo

    Prof. Jerme Dinet, Psychology Lab, University of Lorraine

    Moderator: Prof. Mihaela Albu, Politehnica University of Bucharest
    Rapporteur: Ms Borana Taraj, EUA

    4) Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage

    Prof. Hanna Knuutila, NTNU

    Mr David Nevicato, Total

    Dr Pawel Gladysz, Silesian University of Technology

    Prof. Eric Favre, Process Engineering Lab, University of Lorraine

    Moderator: Prof. Xavier Gimenez, University of Barcelona
    Rapporteur: Dr Andrzej Adamski, Jagiellonian University

  • Day 2

    09.00 - 09.30
    Plenary session

    Reporting of the parallel sessions on Day 1

    09.30 - 10.30
    Plenary session: Developing multidisciplinary master and doctoral programmes

    Prof. Joo Serra, University of Lisbon

    Dr Isabelle Schuster, PhD School programme director; InnoEnergy

    Mr. Grard Griffay, Energy Program & Free Innovation Program Leader, Arcelor-Mittal

    Moderator: Prof. Fabrice Lemoine, Energies for the future, Lorraine Université d'Excellence

    11.00 - 13.00
    World café method: Delivering new and innovative research and education programmes

    Part 1) Frameworks and barriers for the development of education and research programmes

    Part 2) Tools and mechanisms to deliver innovative education and research programmes

    Summary of sessions– Key messages from session moderators and/or rapporteurs

     

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