International Success for the University of Pisa: three students from EPC Course win second place at the World Switch Competition
Three students from the University of Pisa have achieved a milestone of exceptional international significance, securing second place in the Switch Competition, one of the most prestigious global challenges dedicated to sustainable energy solutions.
The protagonists of this success are Samuel Worku Demise, Yonas Girma Tekele, and Abij Kinfle Assefa, enrolled in the 2023 and 2024 academic years of the master’s degree program in Engineering of Paper and Cardboard, based in Lucca.
Their project stood out for its innovative and realistic ten-year energy transition strategy in Ethiopia, demonstrating how the engineering skills developed in the Lucca district can be applied to solve complex energy crises in international contexts.
A worldwide award
The Switch Competition is a multidisciplinary competition organized by the Switch Energy Alliance, a non-profit organization based in the United States.
The importance of the award is highlighted by the competition’s numbers, which in recent editions have seen the participation of over 3,600 students from 58 different countries. Reaching the podium means excelling in a contest that involves the best university talents from around the world.
The mission of the competition is to train the next generation of energy leaders, encouraging students to tackle real challenges such as energy poverty, sustainability, and equity in resource access.
Through a rigorous format based on case studies and live presentations in front of a panel of industry experts, the competition offers an unparalleled platform for global visibility.
In addition to the prestigious recognition and cash prizes (which for the winners can reach up to $10,000), the success of the three students in Paper and Cardboard Engineering opens extraordinary networking opportunities with professionals and partner companies worldwide, confirming the high value of the academic training at the University of Pisa on the international stage.
This result highlights how the master’s degree program in Lucca is capable of training professionals who can lead the energy transition and propose concrete solutions for a more sustainable and equitable future.
“The success of our students,” commented Professor Marco Frosolini, president of the EPC degree program, “is a source of great pride and highlights their skills and competences, achieved also thanks to the work carried out in the classroom by our faculty. Our congratulations go to the three students for the project they presented.”
