Enel Foundation Open Africa Power: Call for applications 2023

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, Enel Foundation and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) are excited to launch the call for applications for the 2023 edition of Open Africa Power, the programme aimed at empowering women and youth to lead the clean energy transition of Africa. Since 2018 Open Africa Power provides a cohort of young energy professionals with a complete set of technical, regulatory and business skills needed to trigger Africa sustainable energy future for all. This year the programme will engage up to 150 African students, with at least 50% women, and almost 400 Alumni in a series of professional development and leadership activities provided in partnership with top academic institutions in Italy and Africa.

Open Africa Power 2023 comprises of online and residential modules from academic institutions such as the University of Cape Town, Politecnico di Torino, Politecnico di Milano, SDA Bocconi, Florence School of Regulation, and Venice International University. The programme, as in past editions, receives significant support from our institutional partner, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Initiated by Enel Foundation in 2018, and co-managed by SEforALL from 2022 edition, Open Africa Power is designed to equip a new generation of energy leaders with a holistic knowhow of the electricity sector, putting women and youth at the forefront of the energy transition and providing them with additional tools to leave their mark, whether in public or private sector towards a clean energy future for Africa.

About Enel Foundation

We focus on the crucial role of clean energy to ensure a sustainable future for all. By envisioning a sustainable future – resilient and equal – boosted by quality education and an enlightened self-interest by the business community. The future we want is powered by affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern electricity smartly distributed to all. We focus on research and education. By developing partnerships with pre-eminent experts and institution across the globe, leveraging on the vast knowledge of our Founders, we conduct research to explore the implications of g... read more

Open Africa Power

Aim and Benefits of Open Africa Power

Open Africa Power will engage up to 60 African students and alumni in a series of professional development and leadership activities, comprising residential training modules in South Africa.

Requirements for Open Africa Power Qualification

The Open Africa Power selection process is an open, merit-based, competition. The application  period opens on March 8th, 2023 and closes on April 10th, 2023.

To be eligible, candidates must meet the following criteria:

· Be between the ages of 24 and 35 by May 1st, 2023;

· Be a citizen of an African country;

· Currently resident in an African country or planning to relocate in Africa within the end of 2024;

· Be eligible to travel to Italy. All candidates are invited to check well in advance the   procedure applicable to their specific case;

· Having graduated by May 1st, 2023 from a PhD, MSc, LLM, MPP or MBA degree. Undergraduate students, people with only a BSc degree or people who are currently enrolled in a master’s degree (i.e. Graduate students) are not eligible for this program. At least one degree (PhD, MSc, BSc, LLM, MPP or MBA) must be from an African University;

· Have competences and a demonstrated interest to pursue a career – in private or public sector – in the electricity space at large;

· Be fully proficient in English (CEFR C1 level), and be able to demonstrate this via an official language certificate or completion of at least one degree completely taught in English;

· Willingness to promote gender equality and women´s empowerment within and beyond the programme.

Recognizing that women play a critical role in the energy sector, but they are often left out of decision-making and have restricted access to energy education, employment opportunities and finance, their participation in the OAP is highly encouraged. Enel Foundation and SEforALL will ensure that 50% of the participants are women.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Applications are to be filed through our dedicated platform exclusively, using the verification code (OAPF2325). We highly invite you to start and complete your application on both Google Chrome and a desktop environment for the best results possible in terms of stability and reliability of the platform. Please click on the link and copy-paste the code written above in order to begin the process.

Applicants must provide:

· A copy of their CV (in PDF format);

· Copy of their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree certificates (plus eventual MBA/PhD certificates) AND academic transcripts (in PDF format);

· A copy of their Passport (in PDF format);

· A motivation letter (max 700 words, in PDF format);

· Three reference letters from industry, academia and/or civil servant representatives (in PDF format).

The application process begins with a registration form that allows applicants to sign up by entering their contact details. They will then receive a confirmation email redirecting them to the actual application form, which is divided into stages. At any given stage, if the required document is not uploaded, the system will prevent the applicant from advancing to the next stage. To successfully complete the process, all the documents listed in the bullet points above are required. Applications can be saved and resumed at a later stage. However, once an application is submitted, it cannot be amended. Therefore, please make sure your submission meets the requirements.

Interested candidates acknowledge that by submitting their application they will share personal data and authorize the treatment of personal data only for the scope of this program. Without such authorization, the application will not be submitted. For full information please read the privacy note.

For more details, visit Enel Foundation website.