ERASMUS MUNDUS MASTER COURSE MATERIALS FOR ENERGY STORAGE AND CONVERSION
OUTLINE Context, key dates for the MESC consortium How does it work? Coordinating an ERASMUS MUNDUS Master Course Applying to an ERASMUS MUNDUS accreditation Personal comments
CONTEXT Crucial need for alternative technologies For ENERGY STORAGE and CONVERSION Fossil energy Wind Sun Sea Thermal Electric
# CONTEXT Crucial need for alternative MATERIALS For ENERGY STORAGE and CONVERSION 1899 1920 Energy density
CONTEXT Li-ion batteries, for instance, play a MAJOR ROLE
CONTEXT Creation in 2003 of the ALISTORE NETWORK ALISTORE NoE (2003-2008) ALISTORE E.R.I. (2008- ) Li St Andrew s Andrews Uppsala Cell-phones makers Battery makers Materials Makers Warsaw Delft Southampton Kent Amiens Stuttgard Stuttgart Villigen Bordeaux Ljubljana Montpellier Toulouse Aix-Marseille Barcelone Roma Cordoba 16 Laboratories Li Automotive makers Aeronautic + space users PV s users 23 Laboratories + 15 Companies NEW : CAMBRIDGE, NANTES, BATH, CHALMERS, RENAULT, ROBERT BOSCH, VOLKSWAGEN, CEA, EDF, SAFT, ARKEMA, SOLVAY, SOLVIONIC, UMICORE, TOTAL, HONEYWELL, ESA, BASF
CONTEXT OPENING in 2004 of the MESC Master Course Already «international» : Romania, Poland, Brazil, France, Spain BIG travellers : 6 Universities «visited» within 2 years!! 4 already doctors : work in Renault, Berkeley, Santa Barbara, Volkswagen
CONTEXT MESC decides to apply for ERASMUS MUNDUS accreditation Mer 31 May 2004 NO 31 October 2004 NO 31 May 2005 YES!! Merci Maritxu!! MESC#3 (2006 2008) ----> MESC#7 (2010 2012)
CONTEXT MESC decides to REAPPLY for ERASMUS MUNDUS accreditation 31 April 2010 YES!! MESC#8 (2011 2013) ----> MESC#12 (2015 2017)
How does it work? Website Selection process Funding sources Integration week Mobility schemes Master Thesis topics and Defense
http://www.u-picardie.fr/mundus_mesc/
Traffic on the www site (doubled in one year) Number of applicants to MESC Class#7 182 3 rd country 20 European applicants http://www.u-picardie.fr/mundus_mesc/
Selection process The whole MESC Consortium (2 min. per partner) gathers for a 3-days Meeting to evaluate, grade, rank, all the applicants Each applicant is evaluated (mark) by two Professors Criteria * Academic excellence, * Coherence of the background * University of Origin * Motivation letter (statement of purpose) * Language skills, * Essay on Energy related topic * Letter of recommendation
Funding Class#1 (2004 2006) 8 students ALISTORE 8 * 6000 Class#3 (2006 2008) 26 students EACEA 20 * 42000 ALISTORE 6 * 6000 Class#7 (2010 2012) 25 students EACEA (A) 12 * 40000 EACEA (B) 6 * 14000 ALISTORE 3 * 12000 RENAULT 2 * 12000 UMICORE 2 * 12000 Part of funding from EACEA decreases year by year. Participation cost for registered students within MESC : 8000 for 3 rd Country students 2000 for European students
Integration week (4 days in Amiens) Class #3 (2006 2008) of MESC students Thaïland 2 Poland 3 Nigeria 1 China 2 India 4 Malaysia 3 Taïwan 1 Bangladesh 1 Singapore 1 Morocco 1 Portugal 1 France 2 Iran 2 Mexico 1 Ethiopia 2 * Finalize registration process, open bank accounts, * Meet students of other classes (Master defense of Class#n-2) * Sign MESC Student s Agreement
Transfer to first Semester locations TGV from Haute-Picardie to Marseille or Toulouse Semester 1
Fourth Semester : Master Thesis February 8 th September 15 th 40 topics gathered by MESC Consortium in October All over Europe, Academic Labs. + Companies Communicated to students Attribution in December Rem : Also in China and USA from Class#8 (2011-2013)
Master Thesis Defense + Graduation ~ September 15 th In front of a Jury of ~12 Professors + Industry representatives Advisor evaluation Manuscript grading Defense (15 ) Poster evaluation
Coordinating an ERASMUS MUNDUS Master Course Needs STRONG dedication of the Coordinator.. Needs CLOSE connections and trust with ALL partners and full support from the Institutions Needs administrative support from International Offices (one person works full time for MESC in the Coordinating Institution) Needs to formalize Partner and Student s Agreements documents Needs imagination and desire to go out of the «beaten path» Needs to monitor professionnnally Financial and Quality issues Needs to think about details Needs to respect the contracts signed with EACEA and to respect the deadlines
Coordinating an ERASMUS MUNDUS Master Course Needs to always remember that STUDENTS are young and far away from home Needs to advertise widely and to provide precise informations Needs to be super reactive with all sorts of problems : Visas, Bank, Hospitalization, Suicide,... (borderline sometimes ) Needs to provide information about opportunities and job placement Needs to closely monitor what students do/become after graduation
KEY parameters for a succesfull application (personal opinion) Field and purpose of the Training should be Clearly identified * Adapted with social / economical needs * Clear knowledge of existing (if any) offer, internationally Consortium composition should be coherent and clear * Individuals who will run the EMMC (more than Institutions) count * Availability and dedication of partners is essential * Previous succesfull collaboration (education and/or research) is a + Integration is essential * Create a NEW Curriculum, fully endorsed by all partners * Common evaluation procedures, joint diplomas, Sustainability is essential * Elaborate a financial plan, given that EM scholarships will not be granted forever (companies, local institutional partners, )
KEY parameters for a succesfull application (personal opinion) Think about DETAILS and provide short and precise answers to ALL criteria * Anticipation is essential. Writing should start three months before the deadline, after Meetings between partners * Read the documents (many ar extremely useful) on the EACEA website Make sure to be focused (almost exclusively) on the application for two full months.., take responsibility (inform your wife / husband!!) * Early Communication with the National structures is very important : very good advices. (tough and critical sometimes..) DON T PANIC!! It s REALLY worth giving it a try!!