SOLTRAIN+ is offering support for twenty master’s or PhD theses dedicated to the topic of renewable heating and cooling and especially solar thermal energy topics. Students of the SOLTRAIN+ partner countries Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe can apply for the bursary. Three topics have been awarded already in the first call launched in April 2024.

With regards to future bursaries that will be awarded in the frame of the SOLTRAIN+ project there will be rolling calls with the bursary awarding taking place several times a year. We would like to encourage students enrolled in Master’s and PhD programmes in the SOLTRAIN+ countries to apply for bursaries in the field of renewable heating and cooling and solar thermal in particular with eligible topics listed below. The aim is to build up capacity in renewable heating and cooling technologies and to promote the opportunities that solar thermal energy offers with regard to various applications and sectors, with the overall aim to work on a sustainable energy future.

Eligible topics for the rolling SOLTRAIN+ bursary calls are:

• Potential analysis for solar thermal systems in the health sector, at educational or social institutions and in the tourism sector
• Analysis of measurement data from selected systems from SOLTRAIN demonstration systems
• Renewable Heating and Cooling (solar thermal, solar thermal and heat pump, energy efficiency and heat recovery) in industry and commerce, buildings, health and tourism sector (including country specific opportunities and challenges)
• The use of solar thermal technologies for heating/drying/cooling in industrial applications
• Documentation and analysis of mass housing programmes with mandatory installation of solar water heaters
• Cost-effectiveness and socio-economic impact of renewable heating and cooling in off-grid communities (e.g. in the Four-O Region in Namibia)
• Women in the Renewable Heating and Cooling Sector (opportunities, barriers, policies)
• Gender and Diversity in solar thermal – expanding beyond women in diversifying work force

Important information: 

• To apply for research project funding, you are required to first create an account at https://soltrain.org/student-portal/research-project-funding-information. Only then, will you be able to begin the application process.
• Deadline: Submissions received by January 31st will be considered for the next bursary awarding, scheduled for mid-February 2025.

A special invitation is given to women to apply for the bursaries, as 50% of the bursaries awarded are dedicated to women.