OPEN AFRICA POWER

Last Updated 7 years ago by Booker Omole

What is Open Africa Power?
Launched in January 2018, the Open Africa Power Initiative is the flagship training program of Enel Foundation dedicated to young and exceptionally talented MSc and PhD students, as well as alumni of Engineering, Computer Science, Law, and Business from African universities.

Open Africa Power combines in-depth, disciplinary knowledge with a holistic know-how in the electricity sector.Created by Enel Foundation Strategic Studies Center, in partnership with Academia in Italy and Africa, it aims to forge a new generation of leaders deeply engaged with their countries clean energy future and strongly committed to contributing to society in their own path of life.

By improving knowledge and sharing best practices with skilled and passionate individuals in the electricity sector, EF supports the race to the clean energy future of Africa. Starting on April 9th in Nairobi, Kenya, the hosting partners for the inaugural course of Open Africa Power are Strathmore University and the University of Nairobi.

Who is Enel Foundation?
EF is a non-profit organization focused on exploring global challenges and their implications in the energy domain and develop scenario analysis, policy and regulation studies to support the transition to a more sustainable future – homogenous, resilient and fuelled by innovation – virtuously interpreting the relationship between society and business.
Activities are performed in partnership with pre-eminent experts and institution across the globe to conduct rigorous research and design multi flags capacity-building programs supporting talents in the scientific and institutional realms.

Who are the participants to the first edition of Open Africa Power?
In 2018, the Open Africa Power Initiative will engage for four months 25 students and alumni – a third of which female – from nine African countries in a series of professional development and leadership activities. Participants will have a chance to combine in-depth, vertical disciplinary knowledge from their university programs with an holistic know-how in the electricity sector enhancing technical, regulatory and business skills needed to work in the private & public sector towards the electrification of Africa.

How is the first edition structured?
Students will convene for the opening module in Kenya to explore the state of the art in the global electricity sector through the lenses of SDGs and resilience to climate change. During the month of April and May participants will be engaged in a series of online courses. Exams will comprise a research proposal on a specific key aspect/solution for the electricity sector in Africa or for a specific country. The concrete ideas
proposed should focus on helping to win the race from poverty to prosperity for the continent.

Immediately following the online experience, the top ten participants will travel to Italy for two weeks long training aimed at exploring the new frontiers of the electricity sector. The participants will experience innovation first hand in leading contexts such as the Polytechnic University of Turin, the Polytechnic of Milan and Bocconi Universities. The training will also include meetings with government, business, and non-profit leaders, engaging in a dialogue around issues of Africa’s clean energy future and visiting Enel Group facilities where sustainable technologies are being used to produce and distribute electricity.

Who are the academic partners of the course?
In addition to Enel Foundation and the University of Strathmore, the course is organized in cooperation with the University of Nairobi, the University of Addis Ababa, the Polytechnic University of Turin, the Polytechnic University of Milan and Bocconi University.

How does the Open Africa Power help achieve Enel Foundation mission?
The venture intention is to provide society with high-profile graduates combining in-depth, vertical disciplinary knowledge from their Laurea Magistrale and PhD programs with a holistic knowledge in the electricity sector enhancing technical, regulatory and business skills needed to work in private & public sector towards the electrification of Africa.

What is the give back mechanism of Open Africa Power Initiative?
One of the aims of the program is to facilitate the cascading of knowledge from participants to younger students, helping graduates from Open Africa Power to become true agents of change in the transformation of the electricity industry in Africa.
In this context, alumni will be asked to share their expertise lecturing younger university students in the
Region and serve pro bono as trainers for vocational training organized by Enel Foundation in Africa.

Will there be additional editions of Open Africa Power Initiative?
The initiative is meant to create a long-lasting training platform. To this aim, EF is opening doors to more partners in order to create momentum and enhance impact reaching a larger number of students every year.