Elite master education “Fuel Cells and Hydrogen” - an industrial oriented education under Sustainable Energy

Elite master program
From September 2009 DTU has established an Elite MSc education “Fuel Cells and Hydrogen”
as an industrially oriented MSc education under Sustainable Energy. The idea behind the Elite MSc
program is to enable the best and most motivated students to obtain an MSc in collaboration with
industrial partners in an international environment. The education will enable the candidates from the
Elite MSc education to find the best positions within research and development, innovation, and
management in the field of fuel cells and hydrogen technologies. The elite master education is open
for Danish as well as international students.

In the Elite master “Fuel Cells and Hydrogen”, the student obtains knowledge of state-of-the-art science and technology and current development and research. The education takes place in collaboration with industrial partners, including Topsoe Fuel Cell A/S, IRD A/S, and Amminex A/S.

The Fuel Cells and Solid State Chemistry Division, Risø DTU is responsible and leading the Elite Master education on Fuel Cells and Hydrogen. The Division carries out research and development on advanced materials for energy efficient technologies. The main topic is Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) – a technology for efficient and clean conversion of chemical energy into electricity and heat. In addition the Division is pursuing a number of related research areas, such as ceramic oxygen membranes, electrochemical flue gas purification, high temperature electrolysis, thermoelectric, and magnetic cooling. The Division has a number of close industry partners and the close interaction between fundamental research and technology application is a cornerstone of the research strategy of the Fuel Cells and Solid State Chemistry Division.

Individual MSc elite education

• Mentor and individual study plan. A mentor from Risø DTU will be assigned to each student from the beginning of the education programme. The mentor will assist the student in making an individual study plan and will guide the student all through  the about 2-year educational programme. The Elite education will be oriented individually for each student depending on the prerequisites of the student. A mentor from a company will also be appointed at a later stage in the programme.
  
• Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Academy. The Elite MSc students will be associated to the “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Academy” (see www.hyfc.aau.dk). The HyFC Academy involves more than 20 Danish and international Ph.D. students. The Academy works closely together with industrial partners, and is also involved in a European training programme (TrainHy) funded in part by the European Commission. Participating in the HyFC Academy will enable the MSc Elite students to obtain a unique network with Ph.D. students, postdocs, researchers and industrial fellows working within fuel cell and hydrogen technologies.
  
• Industrially oriented education. The Elite MSc education has an industrially oriented profile. This is achieved through close interaction with the industry partners, including involvement of a mentor from a company. The students will be involved in research and development in collaboration with companies during the education. This includes the master project but may also include smaller projects and/or jobs at the company throughout the Elite MSc. 
  
• International education. Employees and students at Risø DTU come from many different countries around the world. Both Risø DTU and the industrial partners participate in several international projects. The students will therefore become involved in research and development in an international atmosphere. The MSc students will also have possibilities of gaining international experience through a stay at a university or company abroad, either for a summer job, small project, or course work.

Career

Candidates from the Elite education will be highly qualified to work with research and development in the field of fuel cells and hydrogen technologies or related high tech research areas. The candidates will gain experience in working in international oriented environments in the cross field of industrial and public research and development.

The candidates will also be highly qualified to obtain a Ph.D. scholarship.

Prerequisites

A bachelor in Physics and Nanotechnology, Advanced and Applied Chemistry, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, or equivalent. The student must:

• Have proven capabilities in prior bachelor education including a high grade point average, and an ambitious bachelor project.
• Demonstrate intellectual and personal capabilities in an interview.

Program provisions
To obtain the Elite MSc degree in Fuel Cells and Hydrogen, the students must fulfil the following requirements:

• Have passed General Competence Courses adding up to at least 30 ECTS points.
• Have passed Technological Specialization Courses adding up to at least 30 ECTS points.
• Have performed a Master Thesis of 30/35 ECTS within Fuel Cells and Hydrogen.
• Have passed a sufficient number of Elective Courses to bring the total number of ECTS points of the entire study to 120 points.  

Performance requirements

Requirements over and above the standard MSc are as follows:

• Courses, projects and Master thesis must be completed in accordance with the individual study plan.
• Minimum average score for the completed Elite Master Program is 10.

The student is evaluated in the end of each term. The study plan may be revised only with the agreement of mentor and the student.
A student may be dismissed from the Elite program if mentor, director of studies, and institute director consider it unlikely that the student will meet the requirements. In this case, the individual study plan is cancelled and the student follows the standard MSc program.  

Courses

General Competence Courses (at least 30 points)

Choose one course from:

Choose at leat one cource from:

- or other course covering general competences such as innovation, law, economics, management etc.

Choose from the following courses, such that these together with the above general competence courses add up to at least 30 points:

Technical Specialization (at least 30 points)

Mandatory

Choose at least 20 points from:

Elective courses (25/30 points)

Can be selected from all MSc courses at DTU.

MSc project (30/35 point)

The MSc project will be performed in close collaboration with an industrial partner. 

Further information

Further information is available from:

Senior Scientist Lars Mikkelsen, +45 4677 5811, larm@risoe.dtu.dk

Professor, Head of Division, Director of HyFC Academy, Søren Linderoth, +45 4677 5801, sqli@risoe.dtu.dk

www.sofc.dk

www.risoe.dtu.dk/Research/sustainable_energy/fuel_cells.aspx

www.risoe.dtu.dk/Risoe_dk/Home/About_risoe/research_departments/ABF.aspx