Review of Energy Education Courses in NZ Universities (2007)

1. Review of Energy Education Courses in NZ Universities (2007)

2. Crop & Food TEOs Massey GNS CRIs & others Waikato Cawthron CRL Otago Auckland Victoria CAE Landcare Canterbury IRL Lincoln National Energy Research Institute • Partnership of 14 universities and other research organisations

3. NERI’s goal • Improve New Zealand's response to the energy challenges of the 21st Century by - • More and better energy research, through collaboration • Relevant, innovative energy education resources • Strong, accessible linkages with industry, government, iwi, consumers

4. Energy education projects 07/08 Projects: • ‘Energy in NZ’ • Energy-efficient Schools … • TEO partner projects including • scholarships, new courses, promotional events • Masterclasses • Support for Massey University’s PG Energy Conference • Review of Energy Education Courses in NZ Universities (2007)

5. Review of Energy Education Courses • Context • Review • Energy industry demand for university graduate • Telephone survey, 24 energy ‘stakeholders’ • Courses offered by NZ universities (2007) • Desktop study, 244 courses found; 138 ‘energy courses’

6. Review of Energy Education Courses Key findings • Range of qualifications (disciplines) is wide. • Most common ug degrees: engineering, commerce, science, geography. • Strong demand for engineering graduates • Electricity industries seeks commerce graduates • Graduates lack functional skills: communication, business and management skills, interpersonal skills; relevant work experience.

7. Review of Energy Education Courses Generation / distribution technologies, system mgmt 138 ‘energy’ courses Social aspects Energy use, demand, efficiency Sources of energy Climate change, CO2, sustainability Transport 13 31 42 42 21 29

8. Review of Energy Education Courses • Energy Industry needs graduates! • Especially: engineering, commerce, science and geography • Also: geothermal, planning, policy analysis, mining, corrosion sciences, surveying, physics, geology, ICT, human resources, law, resource management, project management • With skills: communication, business, and interpersonal skills • And: relevant work experience • Cross-disciplinary energy education

9. Review of Energy Education Courses Recommendations • Attracting and retaining students, fostering energy careers • Broad range of disciplines • ‘Fit’ between graduate profiles and work-readiness • Contact between universities and industry • Relationships between courses and key government policy documents and directions • Central coordinator between industry and TEOs

10. Review of Energy Education Courses Challenges for Tertiary Energy Education • Increasing number of students studying/researching energy • Increasing disciplinary breadth and inter-disciplinary approaches • Enhancing connections between TEOs, industry, employment pathways • Balancing technical and functional knowledge/skills • Gearing energy education to national objectives without compromising objectivity • Developing education for energy researchers: skills for collaborative and inter-disciplinary research • Connecting TEOs with energy information and behaviour needs of communities to inform and support movement towards sustainability

11. NERI Education pip@neri.org.nz www.neri.org.nz