The European Union is facing a major challenge: how to achieve a green and sustainable transition that respects the environment and the climate. The Green Deal, launched by the European Commission on 11 December 2019, is a comprehensive strategy that aims to transform all sectors of the economy and society, including energy. However, there are many regulatory barriers to the development of a clean, efficient and competitive energy market in Europe. We want to help overcome them by educating and training the next generation of clean energy lawyers. To this end, we are preparing an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in EU Green Energy Law, which will explore the legal, policy and financial considerations in the production of clean energy in the European Union. The aim is to ensure, both in the short and long term, training in renewable energy EU Law, based on the principles of quality, constant updating and internationalisation, and with a balance between theoretical and practical training.

We are the Universitetet i Stavanger (Norway), the Université Toulouse Capitole (France) and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain). We have a long history of cooperation and complementarity. The last two institutions offer a double Law Degree and a Joint Master’s Degree in EU Studies, that will be complemented by the future Master in Green Energy EU Law. The University of Stavanger and the Autonomous University of Barcelona are members of the ECIU consortium. Their Law Schools have already had previous joint research activities and have an Erasmus agreement that had allowed students exchange since 2021. At the same time, the School of Business of the University of Stavanger and the Law Faculty of the University Toulouse Capitole have also held joint seminars and research activities, and their professors and researchers are familiar with each other.

In July 2023 we were awarded an Erasmus Mundus Design Measures, which is allowing us to continue the work and hold the necessary meetings and workshops to refine our understanding of the contents of the Master (curriculum design, chronification and distribution of the subjects among the three universities), the competencies and skills of the students, the teaching and assessment criteria, the selection criteria for students and their mobility plan, the academic and administrative staff’s needs (type of professor, selection criteria and procedure, administrative staff necessities and mobility), the employment opportunities, the possibility of internships, and the promotion of the Master.

The overall management of the project will be carried out by four bodies.

  • The Project Coordinator is responsible for the achievement of the agreed objectives and the effective implementation of the project. He will be the intermediary between the three universities and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.
  • The Academic Coordinator is responsible for the academic aspects of the project and the main advisor to the Project Committee.
  • The Project Committee is the final decision-making body. It oversees the evaluation and decision on all the proposals corresponding to the work packages. It is also the conflict resolution body. It is composed of one representative from each university.
  • The Board of Directors is the day-to-day coordination body. It is composed of one representative from each university, and will follow the project schedule and task definition. It is responsible for implementing the decisions of the Project Committee.

The Master will be a two-year postgraduate course, with students spending one semester at each university and a final semester dedicated to the Master’s thesis. The curriculum will cover topics such as EU energy law and policy, renewable energy sources, environmental law, green incentives, energy contracts, project finance. The aim is to provide students with a basic knowledge of the different energy sources, an in-depth knowledge of EU law and a specialisation in EU renewable energy legislation. The programme will also provide students with practical skills and competences, and we will try to offer students the possibility to do internships in relevant organisations and institutions, such as energy companies, regulators, NGOs, or law firms.

Because we want to recruit talent, our students will come from all parts of the world, regardless of nationality. We want to emphasise that the three universities are fully committed to gender equality, inclusion and green transition.

We are now preparing an application for the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master, which we will submit in February 2025. The Erasmus Mundus Design Measures allows us to work on the design and development of the programme, as well as to organise seminars and workshops on green energy law, to which we will invite experts, stakeholders, and potential students. Our aim is to provide high quality, up-to-date and internationalised training in renewable energy law in the EU, and to position ourselves as a leading European consortium in this field.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.