Groningen, Netherlands

Energy Challenge – an Interdisciplinary Approach

With the pressing impact of emissions contributing to the warming of our planet, there's an urgent call to transition from fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal) to cleaner, renewable energy sources. Despite this awareness, the pace of this energy transition is not as rapid as needed. What are the challenges?


This summer school delves into the future of a hydrogen economy and the social-technical challenges involved. Tailored for master's students, the summer school offers a first-hand exploration into the complexities of energy transition and provides an opportunity to engage with real-time energy challenges.

The course will start with a visit to an energy network operator, who will inform the participants about their challenge of shifting the supply from natural gas towards green gas and hydrogen. Over the following three days, lecturers from various fields—ranging from technical and scientific to energy law, environmental psychology, economics, and spatial science—will inform the participants about the challenge of a hydrogen economy from their perspective.

The participants will work in smaller groups on a certain assignment during the course of the summer school. On the final day, groups of participants will present their work to their peers.

Course leader

Maaike de Heij, Wubbo Ockels School

Target group

The course is for master students, PhD students and professionals - with a relevant education in science, economics, social science or law - who are interested in energy transition in general and a hydrogen economy in particular.

It is expected that the participants have a sufficient command of the English language to actively participate in the discussions and to present their own work in English.

Course aim

After this course you will be able to:

- explain and discuss various dilemmas and policy options related to energy transition;
- apply insights from different academic disciplines on a challenge related to energy transition;
- reflect on the complex dilemmas in energy transition using the complementary insights from the various disciplines;
- further define the challenge into a smaller research question

Credits info

2 EC
Workload

- Preparation: 10 hours
- Lectures: 32 hours
- Presentation: 14 hours

Upon successful completion of the programme, the Summer School offers a Certificate of Attendance that mentions the workload of 56hours (28 hours corresponds to 1 ECTS). Students can apply for recognition of these credits to the relevant authorities in their home institutions, therefore the final decision on awarding credits is at the discretion of their home institutions. We will be happy to provide any necessary information that might be requested in addition to the certificate of attendance.

Fee info

EUR 270: (including lunches, coffee, bike rental (for 2 days) and closing reception)

Scholarships

The Summer School has partial scholarships available for students from less privileged countries. If you would like to apply for a partial scholarship, please let us know in your motivation letter why you think you should qualify for the scholarship.