WASCAL has graduated its first Green Scholars in the International Master’s Programme in Energy and Green Hydrogen comprising fifty-nine (59) students from 15 West African countries who graduated in four different thematic areas under green hydrogen.
The programme, which commenced in 2021 by WASCAL and its West African and German partners offered beneficiaries, a full scholarship to study for 48 hours, including a four-month academic visit to Germany. The scholarship is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and implemented by WASCAL and its partners, Julich, RWTH Aachen University with support from Rostock University from the German Side, and Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, Niger; Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Senegal; Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Cote d’Ivoire; Université de Lomé, Togo from the West African side.
The journey of these ambitious students began in 2020 when they embarked on an inspiring academic adventure to build expertise in the emerging field of green hydrogen in West Africa. they gained invaluable experience in one of the world’s leading countries in green hydrogen technology.
The successful graduation of these 59 West African students is evidence of WASCALL’s commitment to contributing towards the realization of the smooth transition from fossil fuel to cleaner, cheaper and sustainable energy dedication, resilience, and the commitment of the participating universities to fostering academic excellence in the green hydrogen field. Their accomplishments serve as a beacon of hope, demonstrating the potential of education and international collaboration to drive positive change in the world.
The concept of green hydrogen, connected through the ingenious process of water electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources, emerges as a beacon of hope in WASCAL’s pursuit to shift from fossil fuel to a more efficient, cleaner cheaper, and sustainable energy. This useful energy carrier has the potential to revolutionize our energy landscape, offering not only a solution to the intermittent nature of renewable sources but also a powerful means to curtail carbon emissions.
The scholars have been prepared to become interdisciplinary professionals capable of proposing adapted solutions to the ongoing energy crisis. Graduates were trained to demonstrate an understanding of the science related to a changing climate and global warming, knowledge of the impacts of climate change, the vulnerability of natural systems and the built environment, and methods for adaptation; develop a comprehension of energy production, delivery, and consumption for both traditional systems and sustainable energy alternatives with special emphasis on energy efficiency, energy management and local available renewable energy; identify and identify and popularize the methods of production and valorization of green energy (hydrogen) from water resources.
Green hydrogen, which is produced using renewable energy sources, has garnered increasing attention worldwide as a clean and sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuels. The skills and expertise acquired by these students have positioned them as emerging leaders in the renewable energy sector, poised to contribute to the global shift toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.