Erasmus+ Support for the PRISTINE VET Project Led by Our Faculty Member

The project under the coordination of our faculty member Prof. Dr. Güven Kömürgöz Kırış at ITU has been awarded a grant under the ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants program. The project, titled “Promoting Renewable and Innovative Sustainable Technologies in Natural Environments through Vocational Education and Training in West Africa (PRISTINE VET),” will be carried out over a period of two years by partners from six countries.

The PRISTINE VET Project, led by Prof. Dr. Güven Kömürgöz Kırış, a faculty member of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Istanbul Technical University's Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, was launched in partnership with partner organizations from Türkiye, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Croatia, Ireland, and Mauritania. Supported by a total budget of €383,929.70 from ERASMUS Lump Sum Grants, the project will run from January 2026 to December 2027. The project is coordinated by Green Sustainable Solutions d.o.o. from Croatia. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bağrıyanık and Prof. Dr. Önder Güler are members of the project team.

Prof. Dr. Güven Kömürgöz Kırış shared the following information about the project:

“This project aims to modernize and transform the renewable energy expertise sector in West Africa by aligning capacity-building initiatives with the National Renewable Energy Strategic Plan (PANER). Within the scope of the project, it is planned to include wind energy, biomass, and hydrogen in the curriculum to complement the existing Photovoltaic (PV) energy program. This will contribute to West Africa's vision of diversifying renewable energy sources and promoting sustainable development.

Another critical issue to be addressed is the low participation rate of women in education programs; currently, only 5% of participants are women. In this regard, the project will prioritize gender inclusivity and social equality by developing targeted interventions to increase women's participation in renewable energy education and careers, ensure their persistence in the education process, and empower them.”

We congratulate our faculty member and research team and wish them continued success.