Kick-off event for the multidisciplinary offshore wind study programme

On 3 November, ForWind - the centre for wind energy research at the universities of Oldenburg, Hanover and Bremen - and the wind energy agency WAB - the wind energy industry network - celebrated the official launch of the jointly developed offshore wind energy further education programme, the only one of its kind in the world to date. 60 guests from business, science and politics attended the event at the German Emigration Centre in Bremerhaven and learned about the new programme.

Offshore wind energy plays a key role in expanding the use of renewable energies. The Offshore Wind Energy further education programme is the first academic-level study programme specifically for this industry. Specialists from the wind industry, the maritime sector and neighbouring areas have the opportunity to train specifically for the new challenges. In particular, competences in interface, project and risk management as well as the corresponding technical know-how play a prominent role.

"Offshore wind energy needs specially trained specialists," says Ronny Meyer, Managing Director of the wind energy agency WAB. Among the many new challenges in the booming offshore wind industry, the qualification of skilled workers is one of the decisive factors for its success, Meyer continues. "The industry is heading towards a bottleneck here - with the offshore wind study programme, we are starting at an early stage," adds Dr Stephan Barth, Managing Director of ForWind.

The offshore wind business is international, which is why the language of instruction is English. The content is taught in a flexible and practical manner and covers all areas from wind farm design, project development and installation to service and operation. In addition to the self-study elements, there are attendance phases at the Oldenburg and Bremerhaven locations, where the future offshore experts can network with each other. Project work during the course emphasises the practical approach of the programme. The pilot course with 24 participants is scheduled to start in autumn 2012 and will last a total of nine months. After passing the final examination, participants will receive a graded certificate from the University of Oldenburg.