Sustainable Energy Systems Programme

This is an advanced International Training Programme on Sustainable Energy Systems designed for decision makers working in energy companies or in Ministries.

Programme Description

Target group: High level decisions makers working in energy companies or in Ministries.

This is a high-level international training programme for decisions makers working in energy companies or in Ministries who aim to take an active role in the sustainability transformation by learning how to integrate sustainability into the policy making process.

Decision makers working in the energy area in each country have a crucial role to play in the acceleration of the green energy transition. Choosing sustainable energy systems is more important than ever and increasingly becoming recognized as the only path for future.

Countries and societies are experiencing pressure to align their goals and actions with national and global sustainability directives and new regulatory frameworks are adding to the complexity, forcing energy companies and ministries to comply in order to keep up with a rapidly changing world.

This exclusive training programme offers a highly collaborative learning environment where participants explore and learn from each other and from leading experts in the field of sustainable energy systems. The programme leans on Sweden’s outstanding journey of innovation and sustainable leadership, with a long history of groundbreaking decisions leading towards the green transition in society we see today.

The programme will cover crucial issues for a country’s future development. This includes seeking the answers to the following questions: What does the green transition mean for a society and for a country? How can a sustainable energy system contribute to economic, social, and environmental sustainability?

This training programme aims to create action-oriented, courageous, and competent decisions makers who, during the programme, will be provided with tools, knowledge, motivation, and networks to confidently initiate the sustainability transformation of their energy system.

A central outcome of the programme is for every participant to create a draft to a roadmap for how to
integrate/start the transition towards a sustainable energy system in their country.

The Programme in Short

• 3 months in total
• 3 online webinars in the introductory phase
• 1 week programme in Sweden
• 2 online webinars in the final phase
• Comprehensive online reading and video material for self-paced studies

Why Visit Sweden?

There are several reasons to visit Sweden to be inspired and get concrete examples of how a country can carry out a transformation towards a sustainable society. Here are some arguments, Sweden is ranked:

#1 in the Global Sustainability Rating (2022).

#2 in the Global Innovation Index (2023).

#4 in the Global Connectivity Index (2022).

In addition, Sweden has a leading position in the EU’s ambitious work on becoming the world’s first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The European Green Deal is a very ambitious package of measures that should enable European citizens and businesses to benefit from sustainable green transition. Sweden is taking a lead, reaching a 60% share of the gross final energy consumption from renewable sources in 2022, compared to the average of 23.0% in the European Union.

General Programme Outline

The programme is based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and Agenda 2030. These sustainability concepts are the basis of learning throughout the programme. In order to gain a better understanding of the need for a transition to a sustainable energy system, participants will be given a global energy outlook of today, and how it might look in the future.

Participants will be able to reflect on the energy situation in their own country and what steps that are needed in the transition towards a sustainable energy system. As an inspiration, participants will be guided through the ongoing transition process in EU and Sweden. The programme will describe policies and actions that has contributed to the comparatively sustainable energy system that Sweden has today. Even though Sweden has taken important steps towards a sustainable energy system, there are still more actions to take, and an important insight is that increased cooperation is necessary to reach the sustainability goals. Our hope is therefore that the programme will promote an active network where experiences from different organisations and countries will promote the transition work.

The programme is based on a high level of active participation and collaboration among the participants
and their organisations with a mixture of pedagogical methods such as lectures, group work, forum discussions, case studies, study visits, networking and sharing of knowledge. The focus of the programme will be on creating an understanding of what a sustainable energy system can look like and how the transition can be realized.

Methods and tools for how to make sustainable choices will be presented and how the impact of these decisions will affect the outcome will be introduced.

“This training programme aims to create action-oriented, courageous, and competent leaders who have been provided with the right tools, knowledge, motivation, and networks to confidently lead the sustainability transformation in their organisation.” 

Programme Content and Structure

During the introductory phase participants are introduced to overall knowledge on different energy systems. The participants will also get an overview of the state of the climate change, the current sustainability regulatory landscape, and the most common sustainability frameworks.

Skillful experts will guide you through different energy sources such as hydro power, solar and wind power and the advantages and disadvantages with the different systems.

The introductory phase is followed by an exclusive visit to Sweden for an in-depth experience of sustainable energy systems in practice. For one week the participants will strengthen networking in the group, deepen learning and expand the opportunity to understand the journey Sweden have gone through and the different steps and decisions taken to make a transition towards the goal of reaching a sustainable energy system. This phase is based on Sweden’s leading position in innovation, care for sustainability work and understanding of the importance that we all have to work together for a sustainable future.

There will be a focus on experiences from Sweden were ecological, social, and economic sustainability have been developed in symbiosis, not at the expense of any of the different spectrums.

It will be an intense week of networking, exclusive study visits, presentations from leading energy systems experts, collaboration, discussions, and social activities. Participants will continue to work on their roadmap and how to integrate sustainability into their policy work with the help and guidance of sustainability energy experts.

Examples of what the week in Sweden is planned to consist of:

• Team building activities
• Time to explore Swedish nature
• Sustainable, circular city of the future – green sustainability transformation
• Study visit to the Swedish Energy Authority and an energy facility
• Group work exercises and expert coaching from leading experts within the energy systems area
• Study visit to learn about future energy systems
• Study visit to Municipality to understand the importance of dedicated politicians and civil servants working together to build a sustainable future for its citizens
• Social and cultural networking activities

The final phase will be a forward-looking phase where participants work with strategic goal setting, creating a sustainability roadmap with a stakeholder focus on how to understand the importance of practicing sustainability communication to make sure that sustainability is fully implemented.

In the final phase the focus is on gathering all the knowledge and insights from the introductory phase and the visit in Sweden and using it to create a strategic roadmap to implement sustainability in the participants’ organisation. The roadmap should contribute to the development of strategic decisions developing sustainability and the green transition of your energy systems. The workshops and learning materials are a continuation the time in Sweden and focus on topics such as setting strategic goals, sustainability communication, change management and how to integrate this roadmap into the policies to promote a green transition.

DIPLOMA

Participants who complete the programme will be awarded a diploma. In order to receive a diploma, the following criteria must be met:
a) participation in all phases of the programme,
b) accomplish assignments in due time to the deadlines.

Practical Information

LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

The Sustainable Energy Systems Programme is organised and conducted in English. Fluency in English is therefore required.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Owing to the fact that the Sustainable Energy Systems Programme consists of international travels and work away from home in a new environment, good health and full working capacity are conditioned.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

In order to participate fully you need internet access and a computer/smart phone. You will be invited to the online learning management system LIFE Network where you will be required to use certain software to access reading material or video lectures, such as a PDF Reader, Microsoft Power Point presentations, Word, Excel, and YouTube. We recommend that you use Google Chrome as your internet browser as we have found that this is the best browser for the platform. For our online webinars we will be using Zoom.

COSTS

The programme fee is 4 300 USD per person and covers full programme training, study visits and expert coaching activities as well as study programme literature, video lectures and documentation.

During the week in Sweden the following is covered:

• Single room accommodation.
• All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, morning, and afternoon coffee/tea).
• Local transportation in Sweden (except airport transfer).
• Sightseeing, networking events and social and cultural activities.

What is not included?

Travel to and from Stockholm, Sweden, from your country, airport transfer, visa fee and travel- and medical insurance are not included in the programme fee and are expected to be arranged and covered by the participant or their employer at own expense.

VISA

Participants are responsible for obtaining visa if needed for the Sweden Week.

INSURANCE

Participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and medical insurance for the Sweden Week.

CONTACT

If you want to learn more about the programme you are more than welcome to contact us by email on info@life.se.

Management and Experts in the Programme

The training programme is carried out under the management of LIFE Academy, Karlstad, Sweden. The team of organisers and experts include Swedish and international experts, all with extensive experience within their respective fields.

Examples of professionals you will meet during the programme:

• Senior Sustainable Energy Systems Expert
• Project Manager and Process Leader with long experience of arranging advanced international training programmes
• Senior Expert in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
• Project Manager Consultant specializing in renewable energy and sustainable development, particularly in developing countries
• Sustainable Development and Renewable Energy Expert
• Civil Engineer with long experience in the solar industry
• Additional Chief Technical Manager of agency for new renewable energy research and technology

Quotes from LIFE Academy Alumni