Two proposals involving UG participation for the ENLIGHT Thematic Networks awarded

The projects NextGenOffshore, ‘Educating the Next Generation of Offshore Renewable Energy Professionals’ and ETHYC, ‘Education and Training for HYdrogen eCosystems’, have been successfully selected as part of the ENLIGHT Thematic Networks initiative. Both projects have a strong connection with the themes of the Wubbo Ockels School.

ENLIGHT Thematic Networks (ETN) are interdisciplinary, long-term cooperation projects that connect at least three ENLIGHT universities around societally relevant topics within the six ENLIGHT Focus Areas. These networks develop joint activities in education, research, and outreach.

NextGenOffshore

NextGenOffshore aims to promote interdisciplinary education and research in offshore renewable energy (ORE), bringing together expertise from across Europe to advance technologies such as wave and tidal energy conversion, offshore wind, and floating solar power. The project also explores key areas linked to these technologies — including energy storage, asset management, hybrid energy farms, and life-cycle sustainability. Beyond the technical dimensions, the project integrates policymaking, economics, law, social acceptance, and environmental and spatial planning into its curriculum, reflecting the complex, real-world challenges of the energy transition.

A consortium of universities — Groningen, Ghent, the Basque Country, and Uppsala — will collaborate to deliver a unique blended-learning course for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students. Using advanced ‘digital twins’, or virtual models of ORE systems, students will engage in both online self-study and onsite challenge-based learning weeks. Supported by the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme, participants will work in international, interdisciplinary teams to solve real-world energy challenges. The initiative also aims to strengthen research collaboration through PhD exchanges, early-career researcher visits, and potential Horizon Europe funding opportunities.

The ETN coordinator for this project is Prof. Antonis Vakis from the Faculty of Science and Engineering of the University of Groningen.

ETHYC

The ETHYC project focuses on building a European network dedicated to hydrogen education and training — a vital step toward accelerating the continent’s clean energy transition. Bringing together five ENLIGHT universities, including the Universities of the Basque Country, Ghent, Bern, and Galway, the initiative seeks to create innovative learning pathways and strengthen collaboration across the hydrogen sector.

Drawing on existing regional expertise and research, ETHYC will lay the groundwork for a shared European framework in hydrogen teaching, training, and stakeholder engagement. The project plans to develop joint courses, seasonal schools, and workshops connecting students, educators, industry, and policymakers, while mapping institutional strengths to foster knowledge exchange and skill development. In the long term, ETHYC aims to establish a sustained partnership that could lead to a joint Erasmus Mundus programme or Doctoral Network focused on the emerging hydrogen ecosystem.

The ETN coordination for this project is assigned to Dr Pau Farrás of the the University of Galway. Team members for the University of Groningen are Prof. Evrim Ursavas (lead), and Prof. Lorenzo Squintani.

Funding for the projects will kick off on 1 November 2025, giving teams two years to bring their ideas to life. All planned activities must wrap up by 31 October 2027, marking the official end of the project period.