Renewable energy and energy efficiency: Promoting employment-oriented higher education courses and entrepreneurship
Project description
Title: Higher Education Programme for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency II (PESEREE II)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Senegal
Lead executing Agency: Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation
Overall term: 2015 to 2022
Context
The Government of Senegal is committed to an efficient energy economy, with the aim of increasing the share of renewable energies, reducing electricity prices and expanding rural electrification. Achieving this will require qualified professionals.
Some universities already offer relevant study programmes for this purpose. However, they need to be increasingly orientated towards labour market needs in order to make it easier for students to find adequate employment upon graduation and to promote youth employment – a further priority of the government.
The Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation has already initiated reforms and founded new practice-oriented training institutions at the interface between vocational and university education, known as ‘Instituts Supérieurs d’Enseignement Professionnel (ISEP)’.
Objective
University degree courses and further training for professionals in renewable energies and energy efficiency have a practical focus and prepare students for the labour market or as self-employed entrepreneurs.
Approach
The programme assists the Government of Senegal in reaching its objectives in the energy and higher education sector.
It advises the new training institutions on developing practical degree courses. These include short-term training courses, also for people without university entrance qualifications (including returnees). In Mbacké, the German Development Bank ‘Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW)’ is providing support for building a new ISEP for energy and environmental professions. The project is advising on the development of curricula for the new courses. .
An inter-university master’s programme in renewable energies (MIER) combines the expertise of four partner universities (the Universities of Bambey, Saint-Louis, and Ziguinchor, as well as the Engineering College in Thiès). The programme supports the integration of practical teaching approaches, the strengthening of cooperation with the private sector as well as capacity building for applied research and technology transfer.
The project supports the partner universities and ISEPs in establishing business incubators to introduce students to the alternative of setting up a business and testing initial business ideas. One focus is on promoting women as entrepreneurs..
Last update: June 2022