First UK Offshore Energy Transition Degree Launched

The University of Strathclyde in Scotland has announced that it has become the first university in the UK to offer a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Offshore Energy Transition.  

In a statement sent to Rigzone, the university highlighted that the course is aimed at engineers and managers and said it “introduces the innovative technologies, organizational strategies, and business models that will underpin net zero”.

The course is offered on a part time basis and delivered fully online, according to the university’s website, which highlights that it has an average duration of 36 months. It is designed for those who are working full-time in industry and are seeking further training for new job opportunities and enhanced career trajectory in the offshore renewable energy sector, the site notes.

In its statement, the university highlighted that the course has been developed in collaboration with the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB), which it described as an employer-led skills body for industries and one of the leading voices around the path to net zero that is contributing to the UK Government’s green jobs delivery, task, and finish groups.

“With an increasing demand for energy transition solutions around the world, there is an urgent need to train a sufficient number of experts with the required skillsets to take up the relevant technical and managerial positions in industry,” the university said in the statement.

“Strathclyde’s MSc course, in collaboration with ECITB, has been designed to respond to this need and facilitate the career change for those who have previously worked in relevant industrial sectors and are keen to take part in the emerging renewable energy industry,” the university added.

Feargal Brennan, the Head of Department of Naval Architecture, Ocean, and Marine Engineering at University of Strathclyde, described the course as “pioneering, not only in terms of its content but also in providing a flexible mode of delivery and learning that allows those already in employment to pursue a masters-level degree in the offshore energy transition”.   

“We need to attract the best students from all backgrounds in order to build a diverse and resilient sector to combat climate change and to maximize the opportunities that the new energy landscape will provide,” he added.

“This program allows the flexibility to fit around personal and employment commitments,” he continued.

Ali Mehmanparast, the MSc course Director at the University of Strathclyde, said, “we are excited to offer the MSc course in Offshore Energy Transition in collaboration with ECITB, to equip engineers, managers, and thought leaders in industry with the required skillsets for transition towards sustainable energy futures”.

“This tailored program, which has been specifically designed for full-time industrial workforces at different technical and managerial levels, enables the participants to get familiar with the key challenges and opportunities associated with net zero economy, and enables organizations to achieve business growth while contributing to net zero targets,” he added.

Andrew Hockey, the ECITB Chief Executive, said, “the launch of the Offshore Energy Transition MSc will support the engineering construction industry in rising to the challenge of delivering net zero and equip individuals with the necessary training to become the future leaders in offshore energy transition”. 

“The University of Strathclyde has successfully delivered the Energy Transition Leadership Program (ETLP) for several years now and the MSc is the natural progression from this modular program,” he added. 

“We have worked closely with the university and employers to ensure course content reflects the needs of industry and are pleased the ETLP modules count towards this postgraduate program,” he continued.  

Uni of Aberdeen, RGU

Back in January 2021, the University of Aberdeen announced that it had launched the UK’s first postgraduate degree program in Energy Transition Systems and Technologies.

In a statement at the time, the university noted that the course will educate to MSc level “a new generation of systems engineers providing industry-relevant skills and training, with future career possibilities in all areas of the energy sector”.

“This course was set up to fill a gap and meet a need,” Program Director Russell McKenna said in a university statement at the time.

“In recent years, non-hydrocarbon based energy has grown significantly in Aberdeen due its large talent pool of energy engineers and scientists, and the abundance of wind and ocean energy resources off the Aberdeenshire coast,” he added.

“The past 20 years has seen increased interest in more sustainable energy systems. The transition towards these systems has gathered momentum, aided by new technological innovations in areas such as wind and tidal energy, energy storage, carbon capture and storage, biofuels, and hydrogen,” he continued.

“Energy transition, however, continues to pose significant technological, commercial and political challenges for businesses and governments,” he went on to state.

Later in the year, the University of Aberdeen announced a commitment to divest from fossil fuels. The decision related directly to the university’s commitment to show leadership in working for the sustainable future of the planet through Aberdeen 2040, Aberdeen University outlined at the time.

Robert Gordon University’s website notes that the university is “drawing on 50 years of globally recognized experience in teaching and research in oil and gas, coupled with unparalleled industry partnerships, to be an international leader in the just transition to a sustainable and resilient future energy supply”.

“Through its academic offer, we will serve the skills demand through equipping new graduates for the future of energy and upskilling the workforce, delivering a distinctive suite of innovative courses developed in partnership with industry,” the university adds on its site.

“Through applied, interdisciplinary research, we will help advance transition nationally and internationally, as well as make powerful contributions to other global challenges,” it continues.

In addition, the university states on its site that, as of May 2023, it has less than 0.01 percent directly invested in oil and gas companies.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com