The SILKWAY project “Development of transversal and sustainabLe skills for the production of electricity and heat from renewAble energy” – Project 101179683 – is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme, with a total budget of 888.379,2 € and a maximum funding of 799.541,34 €.

The project is strongly focused on the European Green Deal and the production of electricity and heat, particularly relevant also for the current geopolitical situation affecting countries around Central Asia. This initiative arises as a result of the intense collaboration of the University of Cadiz with Central Asia through its International University Centre for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (CUNEAC) and its network of partners in the area, and the long history of cooperation between UCA and La Sapienza of Rome in the preparation and realisation of European projects.

It is composed of 7 university partners: 2 from the European Union (University of Cadiz, coordinator of the project in the person of Prof. Rafael Jiménez Castañeda, and Sapienza University of Rome); 2 from Kyrgyzstan (Osh State University and Jalal-Abad State University); and 3 from Uzbekistan (Tashkent State Technical University, Urgench State University and Bukhara State University); as well as 2 business partners: the European companies Studio Santi Limited (Italy) and SINCROWATT6 SL (Cadiz, Spain). In addition, the project has the endorsement and support of numerous associations and public institutions in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (embassies, ministries, local and regional governments).

The SILKWAY project, like the Silk Road centuries ago, aims to bring growth and prosperity to the countries of Central Asia (Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan) in the field of energy and environmental protection by improving and increasing the educational offer and the acquisition of transversal competencies which, together with the creation of a network of actors, lead to a concrete improvement of professional competitiveness.

The Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme supports the modernisation, accessibility and internationalisation of higher education in external EU partner countries. The core of the project addresses the world of renewable energy, in particular clean energy production for electricity and heat, responding to a specific energy supply need in the country.

The project includes specific courses on these topics and renewable energy technologies according to the specific resources of the countries involved, complementing the training offer with the acquisition of transversal competences through the multidisciplinary delivery of courses on energy efficiency, circular economy and business development in the energy sector, in order to provide students with a complete vision of the environment in which they will be called to develop once they finish their studies.

These new courses will be designed at Master’s level in line with the quality standards of the European Higher Education Area and are foreseen to be accredited as postgraduate specialisation courses. Accreditation will be a requirement of the project, and the responsibility of each beneficiary university in Central Asia, in accordance with its academic standards. This format allows the courses to be offered to all postgraduates and master’s students, including professionals in the labour market with an interest in new skills for working in this sector which is currently experiencing very high growth.

Moreover, in addition to Green deal, the project aims to respond to the second regional priority of sustainable growth and employment, through the creation of a network of stakeholders, an analysis of the professional needs of the local market, the organisation of career guidance days and the possibility of offering internships to students through cooperation agreements between universities and local companies.

Teachers’ skills will be improved, not only through specific training on the use of the equipment, but also by offering innovative modules on teaching methods, which necessarily, and not only because of the pandemic, need to be updated and undergo a change of perspective that puts the student at the centre, the development of practical skills and the verification of the actual knowledge acquired or brief summary.

The project will also offer the possibility to participate remotely in advanced training programmes, educational programmes, hackathons, master classes, competitions, exhibitions and other forms of educational events. This allows the courses to be open to the maximum number of potential participants.

SILkWAY starts in November 2024 and ends in October 2027.