The European Distribution System Operators’ Association (E.DSO) and the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) have the pleasure of announcing the call for the 10th Ana Aguado Scholarship Award.
Under this joint initiative, two student Scholarships are offered by the above-mentioned Partners for participation in the Summer School on Regulation of Energy Utilities held by the FSR in Florence from 29 June to 3 July 2026. Travel and accommodation expenses are also covered. Information on last year’s edition is available here.
The Partners will allocate five other candidates ranked after the two winners with the opportunity to attend for free one FSR online community training courses of their choice. These five free seats will be valid for courses starting between April 2026 and July 2027.
Applications Requirements
- Curriculum Vitae
Maximum 2 pages. - Short Essay
Maximum 4,000 characters (including spaces) in Word or OpenOffice format.
Topic:On 16 July 2025, the European Commission published its proposal for the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034, with a total value of nearly EUR 2 trillion—approximately 1.26% of the EU’s average gross national income over the period. This long-term investment budget aims to support the EU’s strategic objectives, including the dual goals of decarbonisation and competitiveness, as highlighted in the Draghi Report. EU funds will flow to Member States to help achieve these goals. In your view, what should be the investment priorities in the MFF to advance the clean transition and strengthen EU competitiveness? Have EU funds been used in your country in the past to support these objectives? If so, provide a brief example and explain whether you believe the use of funds has been effective in promoting decarbonisation without undermining competitiveness.
- Short Essay Developing Notes
Maximum 100 words per question; key points may be presented in bullet points.
a. Briefly explain how you developed your Essay, including your initial ideas, your search for sources, and how you structured your arguments.
b. If you use generative AI, please acknowledge it properly by specifying how and for what purpose it was used. Make sure to assess any AI-generated information critically, and ensure all content remains original and reflects your own understanding. - Personal Motivation Pitch Video
Maximum 1 minute duration
Explain in a short video your reasons for interest and the role this course could play in your educational and professional development. The video should be informal and catchy. It will be used internally only for the purpose of this Scholarship among the Partners and will be deleted at the end of the selection process. You can record the video with your smartphone.
Please note that any candidate not respecting the maximum length of the CV, Short Essay, Developing Essay and Pitch Video will be excluded from the selection process.
Applications Criteria
- Ongoing or completed university education at Master’s Level in Economics, Engineering, European/International policy/relations/law or similar;
- Proven interest in the energy sector and familiarity with energy policy issues;
- Fluent in English (the FSR course will be taught in English);
- Not more than 3 years’ work or research experience in the energy sector by 1 January 2026.
Candidates should meet all the criteria. If just one of the criteria is not met, candidates will equally not be considered as eligible.
Assessment Process
Send your applications via email by 8 February 2026 midnight (24H00 CET).
A Committee composed of representatives from the above-mentioned Partners will assess all applications received and select the Scholarship winners by 31 March 2026 at the latest.
The two Scholarship winners will be also invited to attend the LUCE Awards 2026 scheduled in Florence in 14 May 2026 , where the winners will be publicly announced. Travel expenses for the participation and accommodation will be covered.
Who was Ana Aguado?
Ana Aguado was a lawyer and a distinguished professional who held major positions in the energy sector for over twenty years. She passed away on 7 October 2016.
Ana was a passionate and enthusiastic woman, always at the forefront of key initiatives and challenges in the energy sector. Throughout her career, she was deeply attentive to students’ needs, firmly believing in the importance of education for future generations.
Our initiative is dedicated to honoring her memory.
