Call for applications for the Energy Cluster of Excellence doctoral program
The Rectorate of the Technical University of Leoben has set itself the goal of coordinating and intensifying research in the field of energy in the form of a Cluster of Excellence in Energy in order to meet the challenges of the urgently needed transformation of the energy system.
The goals of the Energy Cluster of Excellence are to improve visibility among prospective students, the research community, and industry. The aim is for the Technical University of Leoben to be perceived as an institution with energy research expertise in order to strengthen domestic industry with energy innovations from Austria and to achieve market leadership in the field of energy. By sharpening the focus of the content and creating critical mass, thematic priorities should be set to solve the urgent energy and climate problems in the direction of climate neutrality.
The aim is therefore to expand the energy research department at MUL. Dissertations awarded by the rectorate are intended to have a multiplier effect, leading to further new dissertations and visible growth in the field of energy.
The department is coordinated by the Energy Cluster of Excellence. Until now, projects have mostly been carried out by the chairs with selected external project partners. Cooperation within the department or with other chairs is rare. In the future, more chairs within the Technical University of Leoben will collaborate on projects in order to form competent critical masses and thus strengthen expertise and visibility. The Energy Cluster of Excellence now enables cross-chair topics to be coordinated centrally. The aim is also to achieve excellent cooperation in order to make the submission, processing, and publication of projects more coordinated, efficient, and visible.
A survey conducted at MUL on projects focusing on energy identified over 150 projects. These were divided into a matrix consisting of MUL's key topics “Advanced Resources,” “Sustainable Processes,” and “Smart Materials” on the one hand, and the nine subject areas “Networks,” “Efficiency,” “Decarbonization of Industry,” “Mobility,” “Energy Storage and Conversion,” “Digitalization,” “RES Technologies,” “Building Technology,” and “Economy/Society.”