The FAIR project aims to design, develop and evaluate a Masters Course in the field of Energy Poverty Alleviation Technologies in South Africa (SA). It aspires also to develop innovative learning material that will offer students a tailored perspective, participating universities the chance to exchange best practices, modernize, renew and align their curricula towards innovative skills and competencies necessary to effectively address the urgent societal need of energy poverty.
The Master’s Programme encompasses different sources of knowledge and experience required by the energy efficiency/security discipline. It offers education oriented to a multi-disciplinary understanding in a research-oriented environment with close cooperation with the industrial and policymaking environments.
The specific objectives of the project are to:
- Develop new specialized curricula in the context of an innovative MSc on Energy Poverty Alleviation Technologies, that will help the SA Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) capacity building.
- Establish viable synergies and links with the SA Energy industry to address the needs in Energy Poverty Alleviation Technologies.
- Reinforce the infrastructure of the SA HEIs by establishing the FAIR Laboratories.
- Reinforce the capacity of the SA HEIs by training their academic staff with high-quality educational programs that produce ‘fit-for-job’ graduates.
- In the long-term improve energy supply and energy efficiency at a community level.
- Stimulate greater human connectivity through the exchange of students and staff.
- Raise awareness of potential solutions to household energy poverty for both on- and off-grid urban and rural populations.
- Support local, regional and national cooperation and mutual learning on tackling energy poverty among policymakers and key stakeholders.
