Do you want to build a professional profile in a future-focused field that is central to society’s electrification? This spring, Chalmers University of Technology is launching a new course package in battery technology to meet the growing industry demand for expertise in electrification and energy storage. The education targets professional engineers and master’s students and provides a cross-disciplinary, holistic understanding of the entire battery value chain – with the opportunity to apply for a microcredential as formal proof of your competence.
Electrification is accelerating globally, driven by climate targets and the energy transition. Batteries are at the heart of this transformation.
– To develop next-generation batteries, it is essential to understand both electrochemical fundamentals and engineering challenges. This includes how ions and electrons move in all battery components, as well as how to turn the most promising new materials into scalable and safe batteries. All of this must be done within constraints related to raw material availability, sustainability, recyclability and cost. At the system level, it also involves integrating individual cells into modules and battery packs, including system integration as well as monitoring and control strategies to ensure safe and reliable performance, says Julia Maibach, Assistant Professor in Materials Physics at Chalmers and examiner responsible for the course package Battery Technologies – Current Challenges and Future Trends.
She describes the initiative as a response to the rapid pace of electrification and the increasing need for engineers with broad and in-depth battery competence.
The course package is designed to offer more than specialist knowledge within a single domain. A key element is its holistic, cross-disciplinary perspective, linking chemistry, physics and engineering with industrial applications – from ion transport and cell chemistry to cell and pack design, system-level integration and optimisation.
– Our aim is to bridge disciplines and provide knowledge across the entire battery value chain. For example, a chemist should be able to estimate what thermal management might be required at the battery pack level for a new material, and an electrical engineer should understand the chemical and physical processes inside a battery that can lead to capacity fading, she says.
In addition to established battery technologies, the course package also addresses emerging battery concepts and battery circularity. All courses include team-based project work, creating opportunities for collaboration and networking across disciplines.
The target audience is broad and includes master’s level students, engineers and professionals working in energy storage, the automotive sector and related industries. To apply, participants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree in science, engineering or technology – or be enrolled in the final year of such a programme – as well as demonstrate English proficiency. Basic programming skills are recommended, but prior knowledge of batteries is not required.
After completing all three courses, participants may apply for a microcredential certifying expertise in Battery Technologies – Current Challenges and Future Trends. However, the ambition extends beyond formal certification.
– Our goal is to enable participants to master advanced battery concepts from cell chemistry and manufacturing to system integration, and to apply tools for performance analysis and optimisation. In the long term, we hope this will allow our graduates to make informed battery design decisions, improve sustainability strategies and help propel electrification projects at local, national and international levels, says Julia Maibach.
The course package is part of Chalmers’ long-term commitment to lifelong learning and continuing professional education.