Solar Energy Research Center SERC started at Högskolan Falun Borlänge – now Dalarna University - in November 1984 as the first research center at any Swedish University College. Gradually it has grown from a small and not always by its environment appraised institution into Sweden's leading research center in its field. European Solar Engineering School ESES was originally intended to be established on the Italian island of Capri, but began as a Master Program at Dalarna University at the beginning of the fall semester 1999. ESES attracts students from all over the world and has today a reputation of one of the world's best educations in its field. My own role was to initiate SERC and ESES and being instrumental in their respective first years of development, while their continued growth has depended highly on my former colleagues, still active at Dalarna University.