You will also explore the part played by, innovation, economics and commerce, understanding of the role and responsibility of engineers in a more sustainable energy industry.

Year 1

During your first year, you study at either:

• KTH: Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm 
• UPC: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech

Courses in the first year focus on topics such as sustainable energy conversion, renewable energy, and ways of ensuring minimal human impact on the environment.

The content of the first-year courses is provided by both universities. So, students based in KTH will join courses of UPC virtually, while those based in UPC will join courses of KTH virtually.

Year 2

The Master's in Sustainable Energy Systems offers the wider range of year 2 universities to choose from amongst all EIT InnoEnergy programmes. You can select one of the following specialist tracks to deepen your knowledge:

• Combined Energy Systems at KTH: Royal Institute of Technology

Combined Energy Systems deals with multiple energy services from combinations of renewable energy sources. You will focus on the “art” of combining multiple energy sources to produce various energy services in an efficient, cost effective and sustainable way. In particular the course explores the topic of polygeneration and the synthesis of complex renewable energy systems.

Requirements: Beyond the subjects covered in Year 1, no special requirements are stipulated.

• Energy Efficiency at PoliTo: Politecnico di Torino

Deepen your understanding of new energy pathways in future complex-integrated systems, with a focus on efficiency in the industrial and residential contexts while being based at the heart of Italian architecture and cuisine in the region of Piedmont.

Requirements: A background in mechanical engineering or chemical engineering is recommended.

• Innovation in Energy Systems at TU/e: Eindhoven University of Technology

Explore innovation in electrical power supply systems at one of the Netherlands' best technical universities. From smart grids to energy storage, from built environmental design to socio-economic implications for developing countries, this course digs deep into supply and demand in the context of real-life case studies.

Requirements: You should have the academic tools and experience to perform in-depth scientific research in your chosen speciality.

• Offshore Energy Systems at IST: Instituto Superior Técnico

Explore the innovation, the economic, the legal and the ecological dynamics at work within the implementation of energy technologies. Build strong scientific and technological problem-solving skills while developing your creativity, entrepreneurial and leadership competencies.

Requirements: The course is intended for students with a BSc in Engineering or Engineering Sciences and requires solid knowledge in mathematics, physics, chemistry, information systems as well as understanding of economics and management.

• Solar Systems at UPC: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech

Acquire expertise in the field of solar systems at one of Europe's solar powerhouses, Barcelona. This course draws on solid scientific knowledge, while delivering a broad perspective on technological development in innovation and sustainability. You also have the flexibility to explore a range of additional topics and areas that align with your interests and learning objectives.

Requirements: Beyond the subjects covered in Year 1, no special requirements are stipulated.

• Sustainable Biomass Processing at Aalto University

Acquire specialised knowledge and expertise in the areas of sustainable energy production, conversion systems and markets. You will study topics like biofuels, molecular thermodynamics, emissions control and electrochemical conversion sourrounded by a multidisciplinary community of science, business and arts students in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland

Requirements: A background in chemical engineering is recommended.

• Renewable Energy and Energy Management  at AGH: University of Science and Technology

You will acquire knowledge related to renewable energy technologies as well as economics, energy policy and energy management in the fuel and energy sector. Students will learn how to make a real contribution to foster the deployment of renewable energy technologies and how to plan the development and operation of energy systems under high RES penetration.

Requirements: BSc in a cognate discipline or equivalent.

The Master's in Sustainable Energy Systems has a comprehensive set of activities to develop your entrepreneurial mindset and put all your know-how into practice.

Some of the elements of this parallel track are delivered by the highly ranked international business school:

• ESADE Business School, Spain

More information below.

During the final semester of your second year, you will work on your Master’s thesis project, which is worth 30 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System credits (ECTS)*.

The thesis is undertaken in collaboration with our industry, research or NGO partners. It should include both the technological aspects of your chosen topic as well as a solid business analysis.

*Please note: if you do your Master’s thesis at TU/e, your thesis will be worth 45 ECTS credits.

EIT InnoEnergy continually strives to improve the quality, structure and content of our Master’s School programmes. Therefore, some changes may occur as part of our quality control process.

Teaching on the programme is characterised by two challenge-driven projects:

• the Project of the Year (PoY) in your first year
• the integrated Project of the Year (IPoY) in your second year

In teams with fellow students, you will apply your knowledge and skills to real-life projects, which are set by one of our industry partners.  The projects allow you to

• Solve problems with all the characteristics and complexity of those typically found in businesses and/or NGOs working in sustainable energy
• Acquire essential facts and techniques that will be invaluable for your future experience once you have graduated from the programme
• Build a solid foundation of knowledge of innovation and entrepreneurship, and the role they play in developing market-oriented products and services
• Realise innovative ideas by developing a technically sound pre-design and preliminary business plan.

Some examples of previous projects include:

• REGEN: sustainable solutions for women in Nepal
  
• Re-Cell: processing and handling end-of-life Li-ion batteries in Europe
  
• REMOTE: hydrogen-based storage system in Finland
  
• Koh Jik ReCharge: bringing solar energy to small islands in Thailand

And many more... 

The Fal and Spring Seminars are an integral part of the Master's in Sustainable Energy Systems. They take place in cooperation with ESADE Business School and train students in innovation and entrepreneurship topics. 

During the Fall Seminar all students get together at a single university, network with each other, attend presentations given by representatives from our industrial and start-up partners and other inspiring speakers, and kick-start the academic year.

For first-year students, the Fall Seminar is where the Project of the Year is launched. You also take part in courses from ESADE Business School that introduce you to project management tools and techniques. Students complete various team challenges, take part in structured study visits, and strengthen their relationship with academic staff and industry experts.

Second-year students focus on courses in entrepreneurship, branding and fast prototyping. Time is dedicated to the presentation of Integrated Project of the Year proposals, including a peer review, as well as a course on Managing High-Performance Teams from ESADE Business School.

The Spring Seminar introduces you to the cutting-edge research found in the curricula, and trains you in group discussions in an international setting. There are more courses from ESADE Business School: Design Thinking for first-year students, and Intellectual Property Rights and Digital Marketing for second-year students.

The Spring Seminar is also the occasion for first-year students to present the results of their Project of the Year, and for second-year students to present the results of their Integrated Projects of the Year to fellow students. 

The various topics on entrepreneurship that you study during the Fall and Spring Seminars also prepare you to take part on EIT InnoEnergy's Battle of Green Talent!

The Battle of Green Talent is an online entrepreneurship competition designed for all EIT InnoEnergy students.

You get immersed in an online entrepreneurial ecosystem. During 6 monhts, you transform your bright ideas into promising business while competing with peers, interacting with virtual investors from top business schools around the world and get advice from experienced business creation professionals.

The best team of entrepreneurs and talents wins a package with a cash prize of €10,000.- and a voucher worth €5,000.- to benefit from start-up incubation services from EIT InnoEnergy.

Students of the Master's in Sustainable Energy Systems are offered access to complementary training in data science organised by EIT InnoEnergy. 

You can learn about data science skills to analyse, forecast and optimise energy demand using Python. This training ensures you are prepared to land jobs in a high-demand sector within the energy industry. It includes modules such as:

• Introduction to data science
• Exploratory analysis
• Forecasting with machine learning
• Optimisation cases
  and more... 

The programme gives you plenty of chances to meet and engage with our industry partners, business experts, fellow students, recent graduates and thriving start-ups throughout your two years of study.

You have the opportunity to undertake an internship in collaboration with one of our industrial or research partners in the summer between your first and second year. Internships are highly recommended to all. Students are responsible for researching and securing their own internship.

During your first year, you study at either KTH: Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, or UPC: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech.

Your second year is spent at one of the other universities available in the programme.

After successfully completing the programme, you will receive a degree from each of your chosen universities.

• Aalto: Master of Science (Technology)
• AGH: Master or Master of Engineering
• IST: Master of Energy Engineering and Management
• KTH: Master of Science (120 credits)
• PoliTo: Master of Science in Energy and Nuclear Engineering
• TU/e: Degree of Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Technology
• UPC: Master of Energy Engineering

The EIT Label is a quality seal awarded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to a KIC educational programme that has been assessed positively by the EIT on the implementation of the EIT Quality Assurance and Learning Enhancement (EIT QALE) system and the application of specific quality criteria with focus on the EIT Overarching Learning Outcomes (EIT OLOs), robust entrepreneurship education, highly integrated, innovative ‘learning-by-doing’ curricula, international mobility and outreach. For more information please check here.

Before applying, make sure you can meet all the general admissions criteria:

• A completed Bachelor’s degree (worth a minimum of 180 ECTS credits)
• English language proficiency
• Programme-specific requirements
  
  

If you are in your final year of undergraduate education, you can also apply and receive a conditional offer.

You can also read more about our application process  here.

• A completed Bachelor’s degree worth 180 ECTS credits or equivalent in one of the following subjects: physics, chemistry, engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering or electrical engineering.
  
  
• Applicants must have achieved an average grade of at least 70%. This is crucial to be eligible for the Master's in Sustainable Energy Systems.
  
  
• You will also need to submit a separate letter giving your reasons for application.
  
  
• If you want to study at TU/e Eindhoven on the 2nd Year, you will need to meet higher English requirements. More info in the FAQs section.