New hydrogen economy training module in Finland begins
The Service Centre for Continuous Learning and Employment (SECLE) has granted the FITech (Finnish Institute of Technology) Network University EUR 1.5 million in funding for organising hydrogen economy training. The training module is coordinated by Aalto University. Eight universities at the FITech network are involved in the preparation and implementation of the training. Tampere University is a member of the network.
Tampere University has a wide range of expertise in the field of hydrogen economy. Areas of expertise include the use of hydrogen and its refined fuels in machinery and transport, fuel cell technology, materials engineering related to hydrogen use and photocatalytic hydrogen-based fuel production.
New training brings together national competence of the hydrogen economy
Hydrogen plays an important role in the green transition from fossil fuels towards renewable energy production. Education related to hydrogen economy in Finland is currently decentralised to different degree programmes and individual courses or parts of them. The new training module brings together the educational offering that has so far been scattered.
The new hydrogen economy training module is targeted specially at staff of the member companies of the national hydrogen cluster. The Hydrogen Cluster Finland is a network of business and industry associations that promotes the hydrogen economy. It involves more than 60 companies and 6 industry associations. Hydrogen Cluster Finland has participated closely in the planning of the training module. It has identified the competence needs of its member companies in the hydrogen economy and the priorities for research, development and innovation.
The training is open to all those interested in and working in the hydrogen economy.
“The transformation of the energy system is so important that I believe that many decision-makers will also benefit from the education,” says Mervi Karikorpi, Head of EU Innovation & Industrial Policy at Technology Industries of Finland.
Students at universities and universities of applied sciences can also include courses in their studies.
“The training also meets the competence needs of degree students and, more broadly, of different actors in society,” Karikorpi notes.
Application period will start in late 2022
The training module is implemented largely online and in English. The scope is approximately 20–40 credits. The training consists of a comprehensive introductory course on hydrogen economy and several optional advanced courses. The introductory course is still available during the rest of 2022 on the FITech website. The course starts in January 2023
Tampere University organises lectures for the introductory course and advanced courses. In addition to individual lectures, Tampere University will coordinate and put together a five-credit postgraduate course on "Fuel Cells, Mobile Machinery Power Plants, Hydrogen in Transport and Hydrogen Networks”. A course on the role of hydrogen in geopolitics is also planned.
During the pilot phase of the training, preparations will be made for the establishment of hydrogen economy education as part of university degrees and continuing education. In the future, joint domestic and international hydrogen research and development projects with companies will be pursued.
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The Finnish Institute of Technology FITech is a network of universities of technology, which was set up to boost cooperation in the field of technology. The founding mission of FITech is to contribute to the development of Finnish innovation capacity and to respond to competence demands arising in the field of engineering.
Information on the hydrogen economy training module and how to apply will be updated on the FITech website during 2022. See the website for more information.
Contact persons:
Katri Ventus
Chief Operating Officer, FITech Network University, tel. +358 50 5113 276
katri.ventus [at] fitech.io (katri[dot]ventus[at]fitech[dot]io)
Yrjö Majanne
Project Manager, Tampere University, tel. +358 40 1981 168,
yrjo.majanne [at] tuni.fi
Kai Hämäläinen
Business Liaison Manager, Tampere University, tel. +358 50 3187 697
kai.hamalainen [at] tuni.fi (kai[dot]hamalainen[at]tuni[dot]fi)
