Overview

The renewable energy sector in Adriatic Region is on the rise. A mindful and up-to-date approach to renewables can also unlock marginal areas' potential and ensure equitable energy access. Still, without proper expertise, this growth puts the value and identity of landscapes at risk and, generally, the provisioning of key nature goods and services.
To avoid pitfalls and reap the benefits, various strategies must work in parallel: technological development, academic research, capacity building, and policy design. The cultural and mental shift required is significant and needs to be fast and effective. To tackle these challenges, ADRION TRAINEE raises multidisciplinary competencies and skills on the topic of Renewable Energy by designing a joint “Master’s Degree in Renewable Energy” (in English). It contributes to laying down the basis for enhanced cooperation between EU and IPA countries, as the support to the EU enlargement process is central in the new programming period while encouraging the effective use of future EU funds for research and innovation in renewable energy.
The project will achieve its goal through two main outputs:

• 1. Establishing a transnational network of universities and business activities. The network includes partners from Greece, Croatia, Italy, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia. The partners are contributing with a diverse set of expertise (spatial planning, green economy, energy-related engineering, digital energy systems, natural sciences, citizens’ science, policy design, law), a diverse perception of barriers to mainstream awareness, and different teaching and learning approaches (systematically analysed and shared).
• 2. Renewables-related capacity building and knowledge-sharing strategy, including a Joint Master Action Plan. The Strategy provides a vision, bringing together the whole network. Furthermore, it includes a Joint Master Action Plan and the design of further activities to build spin-offs (single courses) for technical experts, public staff, and entrepreneurs that cannot attend the Joint Master. The whole strategy adopts a transdisciplinary approach, builds on principles of mutual learning and context-based knowledge, promotes mobility, and combines the learning potential of live courses and online activities.

By reaching its goals, project ADRION TRAINEE will contribute to the renewable energy pillars of the ADRION programme and EUSAIR Macro-regional strategy, but also the ambitious European Commission targets for renewable energy, increasing them from 32% to 40% by 2030, with a probable further increase to 45%, moving us closer to energy independence of the EU.