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Douglas Halliday, new Chair of EUA Energy & Environment Platform


21 February 2019

@Durham University Credits: @Durham University

The EUA Energy & Environment Platform (EUA-EPUE) welcomes a new Chair. The EUA Council has appointed Dr Douglas Halliday, Co-Director of the Durham University Energy Institute (DEI) and Director of its Multidisciplinary Centre for Doctoral Training in Energy.


Dr Halliday is also co-Chair of the UK Council for Graduate Studies (UK-CGE). He succeeds Prof. Torbjørn Digernes, former Rector of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), who served as its Chair from 2010 to 2018. EUA would like to thank Prof. Digernes for his sincere dedication and outstanding leadership of the Platform over the last 10 years.

EUA-EPUE is currently recognised by the European Commission as the main stakeholder representing the voice of universities in EU energy policy. The EUA Energy & Environment Platform connects universities and stakeholders who are active in energy and environment research, education and innovation. It aims to facilitate the full participation of European universities in EU programmes and to achieve the creation of the Energy Union and a sustainable future for Europe.

“I am delighted to accept the prestigious role of Chair of the EUA-EPUE Platform,” said Dr Halliday. “This appointment recognises Durham’s broad range of expertise in Energy supported by the Durham Energy Institute. Energy and the Environment are two of the greatest challenges faced by our society today. The platform works to ensure the full contribution of universities to this challenge drawing on the wide-ranging and substantial expertise of academics in European universities. It is my privilege to lead such a platform.”

Central to the platform’s 2019 agenda will be the first “Energy & Environment Clustering Event” hosted by Durham University on 23-24 September 2019. The event will focus on the need for new skills and knowledge for the energy transition, while highlighting the crucial mindset change needed to increase efficiency in the use of raw materials and reduce harmful emissions. The concept of the circular economy and the important role of consumers will be addressed.

EUA is looking forward to working with Dr Halliday on these activities and building on the contributions he has already made to EUA’s work in this area. Dr Halliday has been active in the platform since its beginning in 2012. As a member of the UNI-SET Steering Committee (2014-2017), he played a major role in the drafting of the Roadmap for Universities in Energy and the Energy Transition Action Agenda for European Universities.

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