ROSATOM and the French National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology held a seminar on nuclear education and training

On 27 April, 2017, ROSATOM State Atomic Energy Corporation and the National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology administered by the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (INSTN) held a seminar “Human capital issues facing nuclear energy education and training today” in the Russian Cultural Centre in Paris. The event was attended both by representatives of leading education and research institutions, and by business representatives, who discussed the major and most central issues of the nuclear energy education and training today.

The sessions focused on global trends and best innovative practices, experience and potential of international nuclear education programs in partner countries, including internships as well as further education and instructor training courses.

During the seminar, the Superior National School of Advanced Techniques (ENSTA ParisTech), INSTN, the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI and Lomonosov MSU presented their extensive expertise in implementing education and training programs. Representatives of ROSATOM State Corporation and JSC Rusatom Service highlighted the importance of training highly qualified specialists in the nuclear industry.

In her welcome speech Anne Lazar-Sury, Governor for France to the IAEA, Director of the Division for International Affairs of the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission called for increased cooperation between France and Russia in nuclear education.

Philippe Corréa, Director of the INSTN noted that “education and training is a pillar between research and industry. We must anticipate needs of our business partners and consequently offer a challenging professional development to our students”, - he added.

Speaking about the needs of nuclear education and training, Evgeny Salkov, Director General of JSC Rusatom Service stressed that “development of cooperation with INSTN is of great importance for Rusatom Service. Considering ambitious goals set out in our roadmap we are interested in partnership with those, who can help us prepare personnel for nuclear facilities in time and of quality, given that safety is our top priority.”

Andrey Rozhdestvin, Director of Rosatom in Western Europe reminded that «nowdays Europe is missing the highly qualified human resources. This question is even more crucial for the newcomer countries».

In her turn, Tatiana Leonova, Vice-Principal of MEPhI – partner of ROSATOM State Corporation in the sphere of nuclear education – introduced the implemented programs to the audience. “The best universities develop successfully joint education and research programs, it raises the general level of education in newcomer countries”,- she said.



During the seminar the participants discussed current issues of distance education and possible applications of experimental equipment and immersive 3D technologies in educational process. Furthermore, experience in implementing education projects in foreign countries, including newcomer countries embarking on nuclear power programmes was presented.

In conclusion, experts of both countries underscored the importance of further exchange of experience and development of Russian-French cooperation.

In the framework of the event, the participants visited INSTN laboratories where they got acquainted with the ISIS training reactor as well as a new virtual tool for studying radiotherapy VERT (virtual environment for radiotherapy training).