In the Master’s programme Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies, the University of Oldenburg works closely with partner universities in Ghana and Colombia. Students develop concepts for supplying remote communities with renewable energy.
As part of the Sustainable Renewable Energy Technologies (SuRe) programme at the University of Oldenburg, sustainable technologies are being tested under real-life conditions in the Colombian community of Solunagua. In this very remote, grassroots-democratic community of 115 families, a model village for sustainable development is to be created.
In recent years, students have explored in various workshops and seminars what a future energy supply for Solunagua could look like, what is technically feasible and how acceptable the proposed solutions are to local residents. Through hybrid learning formats, students from the University of Oldenburg collaborated with peers from the University of Antioquia (UdeA) in Medellín, Colombia, and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani, Ghana.
The partner institutions complement each other perfectly. While the University of Oldenburg contributes scientific expertise in energy systems and a research-based teaching and learning approach, UENR in Ghana brings expertise in policy and economics. UdeA in Colombia adds an engineering perspective with a particular focus on hydropower. One of the topics addressed was an agri-photovoltaics project, in which land is used simultaneously for agricultural production and energy generation.
Although the academic exchange between Oldenburg, Medellín and Sunyani involves challenges due to time differences, varying academic calendars and occasionally unstable internet connections, all participants agree: cooperation across three continents enriches the programme. For the first time, a long-term collaboration with two partner universities has been established, benefiting the entire SuRe cohort. Additional funding has already been applied for in order to consolidate and further develop the partnership.
