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Iberdrola continues to develop its commitment to talent, excellence and employability by participating in a new edition of the 'Energy 4 Future' scholarships, an action that is part of the company's social dividend.

Energy 4 Future (E4F) is an initiative that is part of the Horizon 2020 MSCA-COFUND Programme and offers young researchers the opportunity to develop their projects in the field of clean energy in a network of internationally renowned universities and research centres located in Europe and the USA. 

Thus, once again, Fundación Iberdrola España, in collaboration with the European Commission's Research Executive Agency (REA), is promoting this international postdoctoral research programme with joint funding of 4 million euros for 28 researchers. Last November, the meeting for the first call of the programme was held.

The scholarships cover five areas of study: photovoltaics, wind energy, storage, smart grids and electric vehicles. To facilitate geographic mobility and the transfer of knowledge between academia and industry, the programme includes host periods of 18 to 21 months at universities and research centres, as well as professional stays of 3 to 6 months at Iberdrola's headquarters in the USA, Mexico, the UK and Spain. 

The application period for the second call for applications for these scholarships is from 1 February to 30 March 2023. The evaluation period runs from April to August, followed by the interview phase in September. 

The beneficiaries of these 2-year scholarships, starting in January 2024, will be notified in October. 

The research will be carried out at 15 European and American research centres and universities: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Rochester Institute of Technology in the USA; University of Strathclyde and Imperial College of London in the UK; Université de Bordeaux in France; and Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Germany.

In Spain, eight centres will participate: Polytechnic University of Madrid, Carlos III University, University of Cantabria, Pontifical University of Comillas, University of the Basque Country, University of Salamanca, IMDEA Energía and Polymat - Basque center for Macromolecular Design and Engineering.

This initiative replaces the previous scholarship programme for young researchers promoted by Fundación Iberdrola España since 2011, to which it has allocated more than 3 million euros to support the development of 180 researchers.

It is also part of Iberdrola's commitment to excellence in training. Fundación Iberdrola collaborates with scholarship programmes of various institutions such as the Fulbright Commission, which each year calls for Iberdrola-Fulbright scholarships; Fundación Carolina, which has a programme for Mexican and Brazilian students; and the restoration workshops of the Museo Nacional del Prado and the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, which allow future specialists to complete their training in the conservation and restoration programmes of these institutions.

In addition, Iberdrola has currently opened a new call for applications for its Master's scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year, with the aim of promoting excellence in the training of new generations and fostering young talent. 

Iberdrola's social dividend is also reflected in its responsibility towards the environment; in its 12,000 volunteers; in the more than €350 million spent annually on innovation; and in the fact that, in the past year alone, close to 4,500 new professionals have joined the group.