The further education programme in Wind Energy Technology and Management has won an award in the ‘Selected Landmark 2010’ competition. Since 2006, the ‘Germany – Land of Ideas’ initiative, launched by the Federal Government and the German business community, has been recognising Germany’s future viability and innovative strength. Federal President Horst Köhler will once again be the patron of Germany’s largest series of events in the coming year. Over 2,200 research institutes and companies, cultural institutions and social initiatives had applied from across the country. The award highlights Germany’s strengths as a business location and its characteristics: ingenuity, creative passion and visionary thinking.

“This award recognises the successful further education programme in Wind Energy Technology and Management as an innovative initiative that sets new standards for a contemporary approach to further education. This encourages us to continue developing the programme for the offshore sector internationally, as envisaged in the germanwind cluster,” said Dr Stephan Barth, Managing Director of ForWind. ForWind, the Wind Energy Research Centre at the Universities of Oldenburg, Hanover and Bremen, offers this qualification programme in collaboration with the Wind Energy Agency Bremerhaven/Bremen e.V.

The further education programme in Wind Energy Technology and Management is a qualification programme unique in Germany that supports personal career progression and entry into the wind energy sector. The programme is aimed at those interested in building a solid foundation for their future in wind energy. Over the course of eleven months, this part-time programme imparts specialist knowledge in the fields of natural sciences, engineering, Business Administration and law, as well as key skills for professional practice. Using a case study, participants work in interdisciplinary teams to implement, evaluate and manage a wind energy project throughout the entire programme. There is a maximum of 24 students per class of 24. Field trips during the on-campus phases highlight the practical focus of the study concept. A graded certificate from the University of Oldenburg certifies successful completion.

The development of the programme was funded by the Bremen-Oldenburg Metropolitan Region in the North-West e.V. and the City of Oldenburg. The programme’s sponsors include EWE AG, GE Wind Energy GmbH, Bremer Landesbank and wpd think energy GmbH & Co. KG.