A qualified and well-trained work force is required to run and manage effective national nuclear security programmes. Specialists in nuclear security education and on-the-job support met at the IAEA last week to discuss best practices and strengthen international cooperation.
From 10-12 August, representatives from some 70 educational institutions set priorities for the coming year’s academic programmes in nuclear security within the framework of International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN). The annual meeting of the International Network for Nuclear Security Training and Support Centres (NSSC) also took place last week.
Members of both networks – one for educational institutions and the other for support centres – meet yearly and work with the IAEA to promote human resource development in nuclear security in member countries.
Strong focus on education
At the INSEN meeting, participating educational institutions provided short status updates on the implementation of their respective action plans, including revision and development of teaching materials, ongoing and planned professional development courses, and achievements in the promotion of nuclear security education and INSEN.
Established five years ago by the IAEA and a group of universities as a collaborative network for higher education in nuclear security, INSEN now includes 139 member institutions from 50 countries.
Academic faculty members from these institutions work together with experts from the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Security to develop teaching materials and textbooks based on IAEA nuclear security guidance, and run academic courses, modules and degree programmes that serve over 2600 students around the world, said Dmitriy Nikonov, an education officer in the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security.
Members also met with colleagues from the NSSC network to advance collaborative activities and plan for the future.
“My university has benefited from the INSEN professional development courses and teaching materials,” said Professor Oum Keltoum Hakam from Ibn Tofail University in Morocco. “We noted that nuclear security education is spreading in many universities worldwide and hopefully will help promote nuclear security and develop the next generation of nuclear security professionals.”
Focus on training and technical support
At the NSSC Network meeting participants drew up a list of strategic priorities and direction to enhance collaboration among national NSSCs and the IAEA. These priorities include, among others, an expanded role for the NSSCs in nuclear security training currently performed by the IAEA and in maintaining and calibrating nuclear security detection equipment on a regional basis.
Nuclear security education is spreading in many universities worldwide and hopefully will help promote nuclear security and develop the next generation of nuclear security professionals.
