Study at Université Grenoble Alpes

Climate change and the need for sustainable development in our societies call for a profound energy transition. The GREEN thematic program addresses the challenge of the energy transition and brings together students in the humanities, social sciences, and engineering to study the evolution of sociotechnical systems and societal behaviors at the regional level.

Through a range of educational activities, GREEN aims to train the research and innovation leaders of tomorrow in academic, industrial, and service sectors. It is essential to cultivate the next generation of researchers and developers who are capable of addressing the multifaceted nature of the energy transition. Together, they will be able to tackle scientific challenges: drawing on their respective expertise, they will conduct innovative analyses, evaluate policies and programs, and develop solutions—all while integrating science and technology, economics and markets, public policy, and human actors.

GREEN Course Units (UE)

Two courses spread across both semesters of the first year

• Energy/Climate for a Sustainable Energy Transition (3 ECTS)
  The first teaching unit focuses on the key scientific aspects of energy and its impacts on the climate, providing an overview of the various energy carriers and sources, their roles in the development of our societies, the essential transformations of primary energy for end users, and the main challenges (climate, health, environment) associated with an energy transition that is consistent with sustainable development.
• Energy Systems for the Transition (3 ECTS)
  The second course unit focuses on the evolution of energy systems, including the challenges of integrating renewable energy (RE), the development of smart grids, and the concept of the Internet of Energy, ultimately addressing the energy transition as seen through the lens of technological, socio-economic, and governance developments.

Two courses spread over both semesters of the second year

• Multidisciplinary Research Project (3 ECTS)
  This course offers students the opportunity to work on a scientific and/or technological project in the form of a workshop. Students will thus be introduced to multidisciplinary research in the context of the energy transition through research projects conducted by laboratories participating in the GREEN thematic program.
• Training in the Design of a Doctoral Research Project (3 ECTS)
  This final course focuses on research methodologies across various disciplines, fostering an atmosphere of openness and interdisciplinary interaction. It will also enable students to begin developing ideas for a doctoral research project.

The program also includes a first internship during the M1 year (minimum of 2 months) in a research laboratory, an R&D department, or a design office focused on energy transition issues. A second internship during the M2 year (minimum of 4 months) concludes the program with—and through—the students’ research, preparing them to pursue doctoral studies. (ECTS credits depend on the host program).

Finally, throughout the two-year program, activities and events will be organized to foster a “GREEN Transition Academy spirit” among the student cohorts and to expose students to the scientific and technological community in Grenoble.

How to Apply

To apply for this program, you must first be admitted to the first year of a master’s program or the second year of an engineering program in one of the following fields:

Participating doctoral programs

• Doctoral School of Economics (ED SE)
• Doctoral School of Human, Political, and Territorial Sciences (ED SHPT)
• Doctoral School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Automation, and Signal Processing
• Doctoral School of Engineering, Materials, Mechanics, Environment, Energy, and Manufacturing