The results of the European Public Survey of November 2018, aimed to collect the public perceptions on climate change and energy in Europe and Russian and showed clear evidence that citizens do worry about energy security beyond affordable supply and generally find dependence on fossil fuels worrisome. Their preferences for electricity produced from renewable sources is clear and has been confirmed by the result of the GrEnFIn Survey of beginning 2020. Besides the new evidences seem to believe that a new professional figure is expected to be pivotal in the green transition. An investment in education is seen as a possible solution to facilitate the opening of a sustainable era.

We recall that GrEnFIn is mainly committed to face the new challenges of a transforming world with an inclusive global view by designing an innovative and interdisciplinary European approach and framework to educate the "hero of the green economy", i.e. the Sustainable Energy Expert, having the pivotal role to assure for a vital economy with an environment-preserving behavior of companies and stakeholders. This way we are expected to contribute to the decarbonizing process of the EU economy through investment in knowledge and competences for either high education and professional training in the Energy Sector which must be aligned to the stakeholders’ needs. The collections of their needs have been realized through a consultation and a consecutive discussion/exposition of the results in the GrEnFIn survey.

Responses clearly show that the energy transition is real and is now. Consequently it is clearly highlighted by respondents that there is a significant need for the professional figure of the Sustainable Energy Expert. Their preferences within Engineering skills are also clear: the most relevant are the ones related to Energy networks, Smart grids and Renewable generation.

GrEnFIn curriculum aims to educate the Professional figure of Sustainable Energy Expert by designing an innovative and interdisciplinary European approach and framework which support his pivotal role in the energy transition phase. The design of the educational path aims to fill the gap in the current educational offer and comes from the results of the report of the already existing educational offers and the needs of the stakeholders.

The new course will be innovative in both the contents and the methodologies. The drafted path is multidisciplinary and involves three different tracks, i.e. the technological, the financial and the economical one. As a matter of fact the new professional must be able to face the sustainable challenge of an energy transition and suggest coherent solutions in line with the EU target and the more advanced renewable technologies. Besides the implied natural risk must be managed and hedged through financial engineering products, designed ad hoc.
The innovation in methodologies will be favored by the mixed composition of the faculty which will include academics as well as professionals. As a matter of fact professionals will approach students with a real problems oriented approach enriched by internship experiences, teamworking and soft skills training.

We strongly believe that the joint efforts of Academia and Industry can play a significant role now as well as in the future, supporting the development of a low carbon world. And we are convinced that, by shaping new, young generations of professionals, the GrEnFIn project will contribute to this collaborative journey toward a more sustainable, and ultimately more just, society.

The information about the First GrEnFIn Summer School is now online. Photos, testimony and didactical material of students and lecturers are now available. Despite the Pandemic emergency the Summer School took successfully place, even if we have been forced to held it entirely online. We are glad to say that between the 8th and the 11th of June we had few intense and incredibly satisfying days of work and collaboration between lecturers, students and auditors.