Periodic Reporting for period 4 - TeacHy (Teaching Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Science and Engineering Across Europe within Horizon 2020)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-11-01 al 2022-10-31
As Fuel Cell and Hydrogen (FCH) technologies (FCHT) and businesses emerge and grow across Europe, the recruitment of new staff with expert knowledge in FCHT technologies is creating an increasingly urgent need for specialist training. The lack of specialised experts in FCHT is a hindrance in industry development and the deployment of FCHT. 200,000 trained specialists, of which around 50,000 with a university degree (UG and PG), were calculated within the SET-Plan to be needed in EU FCHT businesses by the year 2030.
A number of courses, summer schools and other training measures have been established in the past but they lack coordination at a European (and global) level. Textbooks exist, but do not cover the whole area of FCHT. The lack of text books in local languages creates problems in terminology and hinders communication between professionals. Many universities offer single courses and modules on FCHT aspects, but lack the staff, resources, and infrastructure to offer full degrees.
The TeacHy project specifically addresses the supply of undergraduate and graduate education both for students and trained professionals in Europe in the field of FCHT.
The main objective of TeacHy is to design, establish and run a university programme that grants an MSc degree in FCHT. The TrainHy consortium can empower educational institutions across Europe (and beyond) to deliver FCH-themed modules: institutions which could otherwise face difficulties in providing the teaching will have access to a repository of FCHT teaching and training material that can be integrated into their educational offers.
In this way a large number of European educational institutions – academia and vocational training institutes – will be potentially able to participate in an MSc programme infrastructure by offering typically 25 to 35% of courses locally and integrating the remainder as web- and network-based teaching (e-learning and remote courses) supplied through TeacHy. In this way a large number of institutions can offer high-quality programmes, courses, and modules to students located all across Europe, thus dramatically increasing the numbers of students having access to and enrolling in FCHT specialised programmes. What is more, is that the specific programme content can be chosen from a variety of material in order to tailor the programmes offered by individual universities to the varying needs of university specialisations (e.g. sciences, engineering, economics, or vocational training etc.), specialisation of university staff (leaning more towards physics, chemistry, electrochemistry, or engineering, industrial process safety etc.), regional and national specificities, student requirements, and finally teaching languages.
All courses need to be accredited locally (institution and nationally) with the support of TeacHy. TeacHy has established a network currently already encompassing over 75 bodies and persons from Europe, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, and the U.S.A. We involve ‘associated partners’ who will contribute to and support the project in providing the MSc course. The T.I.M.E. network is part of this and alone has 50 participating universities.
A number of courses, summer schools and other training measures have been established in the past but they lack coordination at a European (and global) level. Textbooks exist, but do not cover the whole area of FCHT. The lack of text books in local languages creates problems in terminology and hinders communication between professionals. Many universities offer single courses and modules on FCHT aspects, but lack the staff, resources, and infrastructure to offer full degrees.
The TeacHy project specifically addresses the supply of undergraduate and graduate education both for students and trained professionals in Europe in the field of FCHT.
The main objective of TeacHy is to design, establish and run a university programme that grants an MSc degree in FCHT. The TrainHy consortium can empower educational institutions across Europe (and beyond) to deliver FCH-themed modules: institutions which could otherwise face difficulties in providing the teaching will have access to a repository of FCHT teaching and training material that can be integrated into their educational offers.
In this way a large number of European educational institutions – academia and vocational training institutes – will be potentially able to participate in an MSc programme infrastructure by offering typically 25 to 35% of courses locally and integrating the remainder as web- and network-based teaching (e-learning and remote courses) supplied through TeacHy. In this way a large number of institutions can offer high-quality programmes, courses, and modules to students located all across Europe, thus dramatically increasing the numbers of students having access to and enrolling in FCHT specialised programmes. What is more, is that the specific programme content can be chosen from a variety of material in order to tailor the programmes offered by individual universities to the varying needs of university specialisations (e.g. sciences, engineering, economics, or vocational training etc.), specialisation of university staff (leaning more towards physics, chemistry, electrochemistry, or engineering, industrial process safety etc.), regional and national specificities, student requirements, and finally teaching languages.
All courses need to be accredited locally (institution and nationally) with the support of TeacHy. TeacHy has established a network currently already encompassing over 75 bodies and persons from Europe, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, and the U.S.A. We involve ‘associated partners’ who will contribute to and support the project in providing the MSc course. The T.I.M.E. network is part of this and alone has 50 participating universities.
During its reporting period 4 (01 Nov 2021 to 31 Oct 2022) TeacHy has
- fully implemented the MSc programme "Fuel Cells & Hydrogen Technologies" on the UBHAM e-learning system (Learning Management System, LMS) CANVAS;
- tested the remote lab access at POLITO;
- successfully negotiated accreditation at UBHAM for a 2021 programme start;
- performed a first trial run of the programme at UBHAM from Sept 2021 and collected feedback;
- performed a first 'standard' run of the programme at UBHAM from Sept 2022;
- delivered module content to professionals from companies across Europe, collected feedback, and continuously improved the modules;
- transferred to and accredited the complete MSc programme at UCPT Prague;
- advertised the TeacHy course at a variety of events;
- survived the COVID pandemic and started integrating the e-learning experiences of all universities into the TeacHy blended learning delivery.
The main outcomes of the project were the full implementation of the TeacHy MSc programme on the UBHAM LMS, the finalisation of the core modules for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) format of delivery, and the completed transfer of the programme to UCTP.
The COVID pandemic has had a lasting impact in that it has slowed down partner response and minimised some partner interactions, as attention was diverted away from the project to more pressing everyday issues in local teaching. The success in receiving university approval at UBHAM in May 2021, though too late to substantially advertise, was a major breakthrough.
The accreditation process at UCPT / VSCHT Prague was completed in Autumn 2022 for a 2023/24 programme start.
Exploitation and dissemination:
The full TeacHy MSc programme will continue to be delivered at UBHAM and UCTP. Other partner universities will be using a set of TeacHy modules within MEng programmes. Besides this, UBHAM has established a comprehensive CPD programme with all TeacHy modules registered for UBHAM CPD delivery. TeacHy material at sub-module level has and is also being used to compile tailor-made courses for industry customers. From the EIT-KIC project KICStartH2 four additional modules, three of them hydrogen-specific, will be added to the TeacHy optional module schedule. KICStartH2 has UBHAM, POLITO, and UPB as common members. Two of the KICStartH2 modules and one of the original TeacHy optional modules are also being used for the JESS Summer School , albeit in a live-delivered, and not online (blended/inverted classroom) version. In the future JESS will also make use of the TeacHy blended/inverted format where it makes sense (i.e. having students prepare for the Sumemr School before arriving).
- fully implemented the MSc programme "Fuel Cells & Hydrogen Technologies" on the UBHAM e-learning system (Learning Management System, LMS) CANVAS;
- tested the remote lab access at POLITO;
- successfully negotiated accreditation at UBHAM for a 2021 programme start;
- performed a first trial run of the programme at UBHAM from Sept 2021 and collected feedback;
- performed a first 'standard' run of the programme at UBHAM from Sept 2022;
- delivered module content to professionals from companies across Europe, collected feedback, and continuously improved the modules;
- transferred to and accredited the complete MSc programme at UCPT Prague;
- advertised the TeacHy course at a variety of events;
- survived the COVID pandemic and started integrating the e-learning experiences of all universities into the TeacHy blended learning delivery.
The main outcomes of the project were the full implementation of the TeacHy MSc programme on the UBHAM LMS, the finalisation of the core modules for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) format of delivery, and the completed transfer of the programme to UCTP.
The COVID pandemic has had a lasting impact in that it has slowed down partner response and minimised some partner interactions, as attention was diverted away from the project to more pressing everyday issues in local teaching. The success in receiving university approval at UBHAM in May 2021, though too late to substantially advertise, was a major breakthrough.
The accreditation process at UCPT / VSCHT Prague was completed in Autumn 2022 for a 2023/24 programme start.
Exploitation and dissemination:
The full TeacHy MSc programme will continue to be delivered at UBHAM and UCTP. Other partner universities will be using a set of TeacHy modules within MEng programmes. Besides this, UBHAM has established a comprehensive CPD programme with all TeacHy modules registered for UBHAM CPD delivery. TeacHy material at sub-module level has and is also being used to compile tailor-made courses for industry customers. From the EIT-KIC project KICStartH2 four additional modules, three of them hydrogen-specific, will be added to the TeacHy optional module schedule. KICStartH2 has UBHAM, POLITO, and UPB as common members. Two of the KICStartH2 modules and one of the original TeacHy optional modules are also being used for the JESS Summer School , albeit in a live-delivered, and not online (blended/inverted classroom) version. In the future JESS will also make use of the TeacHy blended/inverted format where it makes sense (i.e. having students prepare for the Sumemr School before arriving).
The delivery of a blended learning MSc programme in FCHT has, to our knowledge, to date not been achieved worldwide. Currently a number of initiatives are starting up further programmes, mainly in the focusing on hydrogen, though. This type of educational offer will considerably expand the number of students addressed, since professionals wanting to follow studies in parallel to their job will be able, though with a high effort, to follow the TeacHy programme in part-time studies. TeacHy offers any university with a basic number of lecturers that are able to deliver part of the syllabus face to face, to be able to join into the project activities. This is also a novel approach not found elsewhere.
All TeacHy modules are fully CPD-compatible and registered for CPD delivery at UBHAM, and have already been used extensively to re-train a high number of engineers in fuel cell and hydrogen topics. All university modules carry MicroCredentials and can be used to build an educational and skills track record. A coordinated programme such as the TeacHy MSc/CPD online material has to date not existed anywhere worldwide.
for the first time, a full MSc programme has been transferred between two different LMS systems.
Several universities are already using sub-sets of the TeacHy programme, i.e. selections of modules integrated into other PG programmes (such as e.g. 'Advanced Energy Engineering').
The MSc programme is fully operational and ready to be delivered by two universities (Birmingham and Prague), on two different LMS platforms, at the end of the project, this again is a unique feature.
All TeacHy modules are fully CPD-compatible and registered for CPD delivery at UBHAM, and have already been used extensively to re-train a high number of engineers in fuel cell and hydrogen topics. All university modules carry MicroCredentials and can be used to build an educational and skills track record. A coordinated programme such as the TeacHy MSc/CPD online material has to date not existed anywhere worldwide.
for the first time, a full MSc programme has been transferred between two different LMS systems.
Several universities are already using sub-sets of the TeacHy programme, i.e. selections of modules integrated into other PG programmes (such as e.g. 'Advanced Energy Engineering').
The MSc programme is fully operational and ready to be delivered by two universities (Birmingham and Prague), on two different LMS platforms, at the end of the project, this again is a unique feature.