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.

The Third Virtual Project meeting of GrEnFIn that was supposed to be held in Bologna, was instead took place virtually (because of the circumstances of COVID-19) through the help of Microsoft TEAMS. As you can see the Agenda was planned in 2 days in total, 3 hours each. The meeting took place on 15th and 16th of June, 2.30 PM – 5.30 PM (Brussels Time). The time table is taking as reference the Brussels Time Zone. In order to overcome the Time Zone matter, and make the meeting participation feasible for our Brazilian partner, we planned the schedule of each day between the 2.30 PM and the 5.30 PM (Brussels Time). The meeting sessions were tailored in order to be consistent with the project development stage and make the participation efficient for all the partners even at distance. During the meeting we had the chance to discuss all the aspects related to the First edition of the GrEnFIn Summer School and thanks to the presentation of the HEIs partners, we gave the official start to the WP4 – Pilot Class activities. We recall the Quality assessment process, dedicated a moment for a feedback about the First Progress Report and saw together the next milestones of the Project. Every morning before the Virtual project meeting, we have sent the presentations that were on the Agenda for the day, in order to give all partners the opportunity to get in the topics in advance.

The GrEnFIn stakeholders survey is officially closed and we want to thank all involved stakeholders for their precious collaboration. The analysed results paint an interesting picture of the energy transition, offering regional and sector insights on the challenges and needs of different companies. The overall message, in a nutshell, is that the energy transition is real, is now, and will get more and more relevant in the future; to be able to handle it, there is a clear need of effective collaboration between Industry and Academia, from graduate studies to life-long learning. For the full results please see the Report on the consultation

The Second Project meeting of GrEnFIn originally scheduled to be held in Vienna, instead took place virtually, this was because of the current COVID-19 pandemic emergency. The Consortium agreed anyway to carry on with the work and meet on Microsoft TEAMS platform, on the 21st, 22nd, and 23th April 2020. The sections where from 3.00 PM till 6.00 PM (Brussels Time) in order to allow all the partners to participate despite the different time zones.

All Consortium Partners participated at the meeting. The first day Prof. Silvia Romagnoli introduced the meeting with an effective recap of the updates, adjustment and results achieved during the start-up phase of the project. UNIBO then presented the latest outcomes of WP2: stakeholders consultation, validations activities and survey, and the University Paris-Dauphine together with Pixel had a session to deeper explain the importance of the website and a focus on disseminations events, also considering the current international situation. The 22nd was focused to the Quality (WP9) and Evaluation Plan (WP10) and WP3: Draft curriculum development with a preliminary draft of the summer school structure.  During the last meeting day the focus was on Project Management aspects. First the Project Management Framework (WP1) was presented and discussed and then the rest of the section was dedicated to refresh and discuss about the upcoming first internal progress report. The meeting was a good opportunity for all partners to have a look at the activities and Todolist of each WP for the next months before the First Summer School and the following Project Meeting scheduled next June.

It is now possible to enroll in the first GrEnFIn Summer School that will take place in Bologna on 8-11 giugno 2020.

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The surveys to determine what is the skillset needed to shape the professional role of the Sustainable energy expert is available.

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The Kick-off meeting took place in Bologna (IT) on 27-29 November 2019. Representatives from the University of Bologna presented to the partners the project and the activities to be carried out. The meeting was also an opportunity for the partners to get to know each other and to discuss all details related to the project's activities. The partners presented the institutions involved. At the end of the meeting all the partners had a clear view of the future project's implementation, the financial rules and the next activities..

The GrEnFin project has been funded, by the European Commission in the framework of the the Erasmus+ Programme with the aim to to provide the Energy Sector’s stakeholders (energy providers, private companies, research institutes,…) with the figure of the Sustainable Energy experts professional, i.e. European high skilled professionals capable to face the changing challenges in the field with an inclusive global logic.