Forty years of geothermal training in Iceland - history, status and future direction

Abstract

United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme (UNU-GTP) in Iceland specializes in capacity building in geothermal exploration and development for professionals from countries or regions often referred to as developing countries. This is achieved through hands-on training, post-graduate academic studies in Iceland, and through short courses, workshops and training in the relevant countries. From its start in 1979, the annual 6-month training in Iceland has been at the core of UNU-GTP’s operations. During the period 1979-2017, 670 UNU Fellows have completed the 6-month training. From 1999, UNU-GTP has also provided Fellowships for academic studies in Iceland in cooperation with University of Iceland and later also Reykjavik University. Presently, 5 new MSc Fellowships and 1 new PhD Fellowship are awarded annually. To date, 57 have completed an MSc degree, and 2 have defended their PhD thesis on a UNU-GTP Fellowship. Four more are currently carrying out their PhD studies. Most of the UNU Fellowships for training or studies in Iceland have been financed by the Icelandic Government, while some have been sponsored through international support, or by local companies.

The UN Millennium Short Course Series for E-Africa, held annually in Kenya in 2005-2015, and for Central America, later extended to Latin America and the Caribbean, held almost annually in El Salvador in 2006-2015, are a different aspect of UNU-GTP’s capacity building activities, bringing the training to the developing countries. UNU-GTP has worked closely with the national energy companies, in Kenya with KenGen and GDC, and in El Salvador with LaGeo. In 2016, the series were reorganized to focus on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. More than 1100 participants have benefitted from these series in 2005-2017. In addition, UNUGTP has also been able to offer customer-designed training and courses in line with the needs of clients, which have support of local or external financial mechanisms. This has become an important part of the operations of UNU-GTP in recent years, with 40 events, extending from 2 days up to 6 months. Despite strong efforts over the years, the need for geothermal capacity building is as high as ever, with UNU-GTP trying to answer that need. Additional efforts include becoming an active partner in running the 5-month Diploma Course given in Spanish in El Salvador from 2016 in cooperation with LaGeo. Furthermore, UNU-GTP has actively supported the formal establishment of the African Geothermal Center of Excellence (AGCE) in Kenya, which is now in an interim phase under the guidance of UNEP in Nairobi.