The first SOLTRAIN+ bursary call, launched in April 2024, attracted 11 research student submissions. Three bursaries were eventually awarded by the SOLTRAIN+ steering committee, with recipients receiving financial support of up to 2,100 Euros.
A second call will be launched by the last quarter of 2024. In total SOLTRAIN+ will support twenty (20) Master’s or PhD students during the project implementation phase, theses dedicated to the topic of renewable heating and cooling and energy efficiency with a special focus on solar thermal. Students who are studying in the SOLTRAIN+ partner countries Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe are invited to apply for the bursary. The SOLTRAIN+ student support scheme provides financial support of up to 2,100 Euro to encourage students to work in the field of solar thermal, to build up capacity and to promote the opportunities that solar thermal energy offers with regard to various applications and sectors, with the overall aim to reduce the use of fossil fuels for a sustainable future.
A special invitation is given to women to apply for the bursary, as 50% of the bursaries awarded are reserved for women.
Eligible fields of research for the second bursary call will again be:
• 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
For further information, please visit the website https://www.soltrain.org/ or contact your SOLTRAIN+ country partner.
