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EUA Energy Platform contributes to EERA Second Annual Congress
May 10, 2012
The European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) held its Second Annual Congress from 2 to 3 May in Brussels. The Congress presented progress on several of the EERA Joint Programmes, namely on Carbon Capture and Storage, Bio-energy, and Materials for Nuclear and Smart Grids. The aim was to discuss the achievements and strategic directions of these Joint Programmes in the overall framework of the SET-Plan. The SET-Plan Energy Education and Training Initiative was presented by the European Commission.
Representing the EUA Platform of Universities Engaged in Energy Research, Education and Training (EPUE), its Chairman Professor Tørbjorn Digernes, also Rector of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NTNU, Norway, gave an update on the the EUA EPUE which currently has almost 170 universities.
Professor Digernes highlighted the valuable input EPUE had received from the universities at the inaugural event at TU Delft in February. He also stressed the importance of higher education and research for the successful implementation of the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) in future years.
The Congress concluded with a high-level debate session where senior executives from politics, research institutes, universities and industry discussed the role of medium- to long-term strategic energy research in the framework of the SET-Plan and Horizon 2020.
Professor Digernes was a member of the high-level panel together with Rudolf W. Strohmeier (Deputy Director General, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission), contributing to a discussion on "How to organise strategic research in the framework of the SET-Plan-EERA to the mutual benefit of the EC, Member States and industry objectives". He stated that the main goal of the European higher education system should be to educate young people to become "agents of change", who would lead progress towards a better society, and to effectively devise solutions for the grand societal challenges Europe is facing.
To see Professor Digernes’ presentation, please click here.
Read more about the European Platform of Universities Engaged in Energy Research.
Find out more about the EERA and SET-Plan.
Find out more about the Second EERA Annual Congress.