The UNESCO Chair in Energy for Sustainable Development operates in the Department of Energy at Politecnico di Milano since March 2012, to contribute actively to:

• Promote teaching and education, working on summer schools and international exchanges

• Foster scientific research, contributing to human promotion and social development

• Enhance technology transfer and community service, fostering industry-university cooperation

• Enforce transversal partnerships and dissemination, activating a virtual network of knowledge

The Chair cooperates with international institutions and NGOs, in activities of knowledge sharing and training on issues related to access to energy and sustainable energies strategies.
The public-private partnership is enforced by working with the civil society players and/or public institution on research projects funded by private bodies for supporting local socio-economic growth.

The Chair aims at promoting international university partnership with developing and emerging countries, supporting the upgrading of higher education in the target countries, promoting joint research and staff exchange. Currently the most effective collaborations have been in place with the MENA Region and with Sub-Saharan Countries.