On Tuesday, February 21, University President Prof. Dr. Eva Waller welcomed 246 participants from 18 countries online to the WinterSummerSchool jointly organized by the Faculty of Engineering of the RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (HSRM) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). "Cross-university learning and exchange on topics of the present and the future are indispensable in view of the global challenges we are currently facing. Because only those familiar with different approaches can decide on the best one," says Prof. Dr. Waller. "I hope you all enjoy this special learning experience that truly crosses boundaries."

Dr. Erold Naomab, Vice-Chancellor of NUST, also addressed the participants: "We are very grateful for the great interest in and enthusiasm for this key issue. Climate change affects us all, which is why it is the responsibility of all of us to do something about it. And I am sure that everybody here will benefit from the expert knowledge of Professors Scheppar and John.”

The online sessions will focus on renewable energy, sustainability, energy demand, and Power-to-X technologies and their derivatives, "all highly topical issues if your goal is a sustainable energy supply," says Prof. Dr. Ulrike Stadtmüller, vice-dean of the faculty. Since there is a great demand for knowledge on this topic, Professor Birgit Scheppat and her colleague Professor Samuel John from the Namibia University of Science and Technology did not hesitate and opened their event to all those interested, although the event had actually been planned for a lot less people.

Two weeks all about renewable energies

The online lectures opened with an introduction to hydrogen technology, its production using renewable energy and the storage possibilities of the medium, which is an important building block for a world without greenhouse gas emissions. While Professor Scheppat explained the topic from a European perspective, Professor John focused on his home country Namibia. The goal of the two-week digital course, at the end of which an optional oral exam is possible, is to learn about the diverse local, national and global applications of hydrogen.

The name WinterSummerSchool was chosen with care: The knowledge should be usable for the whole world, no matter whether it is winter or summer in the respective country. The digital format also enables training without visa applications, climate-damaging air travel and expensive overnight stays. The participants come from Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Gambia, Ireland, Jordan, Kenya, Namibia, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Uruguay, South Africa and the USA.