The second edition of the EPIC Africa Summer School focused on strengthening skills in resource systems modelling, deepening regional collaboration, and fostering long-term knowledge networks that support inclusive decision-making across sub-Saharan Africa. Hosted at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani, Ghana, the 2025 Summer School provided participants with hands-on training in integrated resource systems modelling using the CLEWs framework and the OSeMOSYS modelling tool.
The programme was jointly coordinated by UENR, KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), and Delft University of Technology (Netherlands), with support from VITO, TAHMO, VBA, and KALRO. It was designed in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, focusing on clean energy (SDG 7), water management (SDG 6), sustainable agriculture (SDG 2), and climate action (SDG 13).
The EPIC Africa Summer School operates under the EPIC Africa Research Network (EARN), which is part of the European Union funded EPIC Africa Project (Grant No. 101083763). EARN brings together researchers and practitioners to advance research, knowledge exchange, and capacity building in the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus and the broader Climate, Land, Energy, and Water Systems (CLEWs) framework.
The three-week training combined an online foundational week with two weeks of in-person sessions at UENR. Participants received instruction in data preparation, model building, and scenario design using OSeMOSYS. They then applied these skills through group case studies that addressed real-world planning challenges such as energy access, land-use trade-offs, agricultural productivity, and water resource management. Final group presentations showcased integrated solutions to these complex issues.
Twenty participants from six countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Chad, Egypt, Sierra Leone, and Kenya) joined the programme, with thirteen completing the full course. While the Summer School achieved strong regional representation, organizers identified the need to improve gender balance, as only four women participated.
The knowledge and skills acquired are expected to enhance institutional capacity in integrated resource planning and support research, policymaking, and development projects across the region. The Summer School also created professional networks that will foster continued collaboration.
Organizers plan to focus on securing additional scholarship funding and increasing inclusivity in future editions. The overarching goal remains to build the skills required for sustainable and evidence-based management of water, energy, and food resources in Africa.
