Commencement of world's first Bachelor of Engineering in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy

March 2000 marked the commencement of what is believed to be the world's first Bachelor of Engineering in Photovoltaics (PV) and Solar Energy. The new program has been implemented at the University of New South Wales. It has particularly strong support from industry, end users, the Australian government and the host institution. The explosive growth in the PV industry is believed responsible for triggering these high levels of support in the educational area. The new degree has been particularly popular. Forty-one students have commenced the program, with most having university acceptance index (UAI) scores well above 90, placing them within the top few percent of students completing high school. This is a clear indicator of the industry's ability to attract the best quality engineers. Details of the new degree program and the emphasis placed on gaining hands-on experience through project work are discussed in detail.