Oulu's new H2School prepares professionals for an emerging field

Who knows how to build pipelines for an explosive substance that can help solve the climate crisis? Not many yet, but in the future, there will be professionals in Oulu. Oulu is known as a technology city, where especially engineering and natural sciences experts study and work. Now the city plans to train new professionals for a field that doesn't yet exist – the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen plays a crucial role in achieving Finland's carbon neutrality goals, as its use reduces the need for fossil fuels and thus carbon emissions.

Companies and educational institutions have a shared need to understand the potential of hydrogen. As knowledge about the element grows, so does the understanding of its possibilities for new business. "There is a lot of talk about the use of hydrogen, but still very little is known about it. Visioning is good, but it needs to be accompanied by realism: what hydrogen enables and what risks and problems are associated with it," says Laura Pihtsalmi, an education planner at the University of Oulu.

The University of Oulu coordinates the H2School project, where the university, Oulu University of Applied Sciences, and the OSAO education consortium jointly develop a study program on hydrogen. "Hydrogen is an element familiar to everyone in one way or another. Its future applications, such as cars, are also familiar. This makes the topic approachable," says Pihtsalmi.

The hydrogen economy needs experts from handling to transportation

Hydrogen is a challenging element. Its production, storage, and transportation require cooperation and experts throughout the production chain and from various fields, from logistics to energy. New experts enable the construction of hydrogen production plants and infrastructure not only in Oulu but also nationwide.

Explosive hydrogen also requires special safety expertise. "The University of Oulu specializes in safety and its management, so the university has a lot to offer in identifying and solving risks," says Satu Pitkäaho, a researcher in environmental and chemical engineering. Pitkäaho is involved in developing the H2School study program.

"We need people who know how to build gas lines or hydrogen production plants. In other words, experts who know how hydrogen is produced and what limitations are associated with it," says Pitkäaho.

With the introductory course, anyone can learn the basics of the element

H2School covers four study programs. The first is the so-called introductory course, a two-credit Finnish-language online course. Completing it does not require prior knowledge of hydrogen or technology and can be done at any time and place.

The course will be piloted in educational institutions during the autumn and winter and finalized based on feedback from students. The course is aimed at high schools and vocational schools, but later it will be available to anyone interested in hydrogen.

"There is no similar course yet. The course teaches the basics of hydrogen and the hydrogen economy. Initially, the aim is to increase students' knowledge, but later also the skills of those working in companies," says Pitkäaho.

The other three courses are specific to educational institutions. Oulu University of Applied Sciences is developing a course on the hydrogen production process, the university on hydrogen production and use, and OSAO on hydrogen distribution and storage. Initially, the courses are open only to students of the institutions, but at least the university plans to open the course to the public university.

According to Pitkäaho, the study program was designed so that acquiring hydrogen expertise does not require completing an entire degree, but the knowledge can be acquired in targeted bursts. Rapid acquisition of knowledge supports lifelong learning, continuing education, and especially the needs of companies.

Hydrogen school combines research and business understanding

Collaboration also increases the expertise of educational institutions. The university is based on research and theory, while the university of applied sciences and vocational school have more practical understanding and knowledge of business needs. "The university of applied sciences and OSAO receive confirmation from the university that the courses provide the latest possible information on hydrogen. In addition, the university's safety experts ensure that safety is considered in all study materials," describes Pihtsalmi.

Satu Pitkäaho believes that the introductory course would not have been as comprehensive without collaboration. "We could have implemented the course on our own at the university, but it would not have been as versatile as it is now," says Pitkäaho.

The city of Oulu has its important role in the creation of new education. One of the goals of the Oulu Innovation Alliance (OIA), coordinated by the city, is to ensure that the Oulu region has experts for future skill needs. H2School is funded by the Sustainable Urban Development ESR+, Oulu Innovation Ecosystem Agreement call, and thus implements the strategy of the Oulu Innovation Alliance and the ecosystem agreement between the city of Oulu and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. The university, OAMK, and OSAO are all alliance partners.

Experts for Oulu, benefits for all of Finland

If successful, the project will increase hydrogen expertise in Oulu. According to Pihtsalmi, this is beneficial not only for Oulu but for all of Finland. The hydrogen economy is part of the green transition and brings new business opportunities, investments, and tax revenues to companies. Finland has the opportunity to become a leading country in the field internationally, and companies have been interested in hydrogen for years.

In Oulu, there is a long tradition of hydrogen research and education, which is why offering education at all levels and starting points is natural. "The university's task is to produce the latest research information for the use of citizens and companies. Education is one way to guarantee this. As long as the technology is not familiar to the general public, its utilization may remain marginal. That's why we wanted to create a course suitable for everyone, through which anyone can deepen their knowledge," says Pihtsalmi.

Oulu is part of the Innokaupunki network. H2School implements Oulu's goal of a sustainable circular economy and clean solutions, which include next-generation energy solutions.