NEWS

The GREATER – Growing Rwanda Energy Awareness Through Higher Education – project held its Final Conference and Exhibition on 3 September at Rwanda Polytechnic – Kigali College, bringing together universities, students, public institutions, communities and energy-sector stakeholders.

Coordinated by the University of Parma through CUCI – the University Centre for International Cooperation – GREATER involves four Rwandan and four European partner institutions working to strengthen higher education, institutional capacity and professional skills in clean and renewable energy.

Supported by Erasmus+, the project combines curriculum development, staff training, international mobility and practical learning with closer cooperation between universities and the societies they serve. A central objective is to connect higher education with real energy-access challenges and equip future graduates with the knowledge and practical skills needed to contribute to Rwanda’s energy transition, universal access to modern and sustainable energy, and the reduction of energy poverty.

Among the project’s most tangible achievements are four Living Labs established in real settings such as a local school, an avocado plantation, a community centre and public housing, and as such being an extention of the laboratories of the Rwandan partner institutions. These provide permanent spaces where students and staff can work with renewable-energy technologies and develop solutions responding to local needs, including productive use of energy, rural electrification, solar energy and smart irrigation. GREATER has also developed low-cost DIY laboratory kits and other practical teaching tools, making hands-on renewable-energy education more accessible and replicable.

The project extends beyond the university campus. Through Living Lab activities, training, public events and engagement with schools, local authorities, community organisations and industry, GREATER has created opportunities for awareness, participation and shared learning. This connection between academic education and communities is particularly important in ensuring that technical solutions respond to local realities and that knowledge generated within universities can contribute to wider social and economic development.

The Final Conference provided an opportunity to review these achievements and discuss their long-term use. The accompanying exhibition showcased technologies, demonstrations and teaching solutions developed during the project, while students, academic staff and community representatives shared their experiences and perspectives on the changes GREATER has helped generate.

Building on long-standing cooperation between the University of Parma and Rwandan institutions, the project has also strengthened relationships that provide a basis for future mobility, teaching, research, innovation and cooperation in sustainable energy beyond the current Erasmus+ funding period.

For further information about GREATER click HERE