The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to renewable energy. In accordance with its Statute, IRENA’s objective is to “promote the widespread and increased adoption and the sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. This concerns all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner and includes bioenergy, geothermal energy, hydropower, ocean, solar and wind energy. As of December 2012, the membership of IRENA comprised 159 states and the European Union (EU), out of which 103 states and the EU have ratified the Statute.
In an effort to support promising students in their academic development towards a renewable energy career path, the IRENA Scholarship Programme awards up to 20 highly-accomplished applicants annually with scholarships for the Masdar Institute. Applicants for the IRENA Scholarship Programme may choose from any of the eight MSc programmes offered at the Masdar Institute.