A good six months have passed since The Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR) signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Nangui Abrogoua in the West African state of Côte d'Ivoire. HSNR's SWK E² - Institute of Energy Technology and Energy Management has now welcomed ten visiting students to Krefeld. The focus of the collaboration is the joint project Industry Integrated Dual Engineering Studies in a North-South Collaboration (IIDES-NSC).

SWK E² Institute Director Professor Dr. Jörg Meyer welcomed the visiting students to the institute's laboratories. The ten Ivorian men and women each previously passed an assessment center in their home country and qualified as the best to develop the first project prototype according to German safety and hygiene standards. The aim of the project is to develop a system that can provide a decentralized, solar-powered electricity and water supply in rural areas. The guiding principle is: help for self-help. With the know-how and practical skills imparted, more and more residents will be empowered to develop their own solutions for their communities.

Both prototypes are to be developed as part of a two-and-a-half-year dual study program. Together with cooperating companies, development, production and commissioning will take place in Germany. Finally, the system will be handed over to the Ivorian partner university. Before the project assignments begin, the students will have to get used to their new host country and university: organizational matters, language courses and safety briefings will be part of the schedule.

The project is financially supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) with around 719,000 euros for four years.