The consortium partners were: Léonardo de Vinci University Center (France), Technical University of Valencia (Spain), University of Vaasa (Finland), Halmstad University (Sweden), Europroject (Bulgaria), and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Netherlands). The main ambition of this project was to promote a dynamic interdisciplinary perspective that articulates the corporate, scientific and pedagogical skills and knowledge that characterize the two fields of renewable energy and entrepreneurship. For detailed insights into the project, you can explore the dedicated website here. The project ran under the Agence Erasmus+ France Education Formation, and the official designation for this recognition is 'bonne pratique.'
New Course Entrepreneurship in Renewable Energy at VU
Prof. Enno Masurel, from the VU Center for Entrepreneurship and the Management & Organization Department at the School of Business and Economics, took part in this project on behalf of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). For him one of the major achievements was the development and the implementation of the elective ‘Entrepreneurship in Renewable Energy (ERE)’ that was organized for the first time in February – March 2023. This elective course was offered to students from Physics and Astronomy; Chemistry; Science, Business and Innovation; and Environmental Science, showcasing a diverse group in terms of both gender and nationality.
The ERE course was organized in close collaboration with Dr. Raoul Frese, an energy expert from the Department of Biophysics Photosynthesis and Laserlab in the Faculty of Science at VU, along with several guest lecturers. Due to its success, the elective course is set to be offered again in February-March 2024.
Successful Project
According to Masurel, one of the reasons why the project was successful was because of the composition of the consortium: ‘The partners in the consortium were really diverse, in terms of knowledge and backgrounds. Still, we were always able to find each other in the production of the five work packages. In that way, it is again shown how entrepreneurship transcends the walls between different disciplines of knowledge’. In line with that latter observation, Masurel aims to develop the course into a more multidisciplinary course, by also welcoming students from other disciplines and universities. All in all, the success of this project (and the above-mentioned course) fits very well in all three core values of the VU: diversity, entrepreneurship, and sustainability
Spin-off Workshop in Zambia
Next to the above-mentioned course, the project has already led to a number of spin-offs, with one notable example being the coordination of a workshop for university lecturers at Copperbelt University (CBU) in Zambia. Titled 'Entrepreneurship in Renewable Energy and Energy Saving,' this workshop took place in August 2023 and was jointly organized by Dr. Progress Choongo (CBU) and Prof. Enno Masurel (VU).
One of the main subjects in this workshop was the installation of solar panels in remote communities that are not connected to the electricity grid. This challenge involves more than just the installation process, it also requires financial investment, installation and maintenance techniques. This workshop clearly shows how VU is committed to Sustainable Development Goal #7 Affordable and Clean Energy (in full: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all). Within this Sustainable Development Goal, it is also mentioned that 675 million people in the world still live in the dark, of whom 4/5 in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Zambia, about half of the population does not have direct access to the electricity grid.
There are more spin-offs from the project. Since last year, Entrepreneurship in renewable energy has been offered as a topic for the master’s thesis in the joint VU & UvA Master Entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the subject of renewable energy is included as one of the main themes in the development of a new project Erasmus+ project called Sustainable Tourism by SMEs.
More information: Celia Onsurbe Castellanos, Communication Manager of VU Center for Entrepreneurship c.onsurbe.castellanos@vu.nl