A new IAEA pilot initiative aims to improve academic opportunities in the field of nuclear law, a subject which is an essential prerequisite for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear technology and its applications.
In April 2022, the IAEA’s Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi launched a new pilot initiative to increase educational and professional development opportunities for students and aspiring professionals in the field of nuclear law at national, regional and international levels. As a key output of the initiative, postgraduate courses on nuclear law are expected to begin during the first half of 2024 at each of the six participating universities.
As part of the implementation of this initiative, a Training Course on Nuclear Law was held for twelve representatives of all six universities at the IAEA’s headquarters in Vienna from 20 to 24 November 2023. The five-day training course followed a comprehensive and multi-formatted programme spanning the full spectrum of nuclear law and related fields. The course also provided a further opportunity to discuss the status of development of the postgraduate courses. The participants visited the IAEA Laboratories at Seibersdorf and the Incident and Emergency Centre, where they gained first-hand knowledge of the work of the IAEA.
“I am happy to see that this initiative is taking shape and making progress through the hard work of all those involved.” Mr Grossi said when he met with the representatives. “I am especially glad to know that the postgraduate courses on nuclear law are expected to be in place next year. With nuclear energy playing an increasingly important role in the world’s energy future, your work in educating the next generation of nuclear professionals will be invaluable.”
The participants expressed appreciation for the IAEA’s efforts in supporting the capacity-building of the universities and in bringing them together to form an informal academic network, which will not only contribute to the teaching of nuclear law at these universities but will also help them exchange their expertise and experiences.
Peri Lynne Johnson, Legal Advisor of the IAEA and Director of the Office of Legal Affairs, discussed with the participants the status of their academic curriculums and the way forward. “This training course is an important milestone in the implementation of the initiative since it not only provided a training opportunity, but also provided an opportunity to take stock of the progress of the postgraduate courses, to discuss common elements as well as adjustments in light of the circumstances and teaching priorities of each university, and to plan the way forward together,” she said.
Since the launch of the initiative, short courses on nuclear law have been held at five of the universities to raise awareness about nuclear law and the upcoming curriculum. Additionally, university professors and faculty staff have benefitted from training at the IAEA Nuclear Law Institute and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)/Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) International School of Nuclear Law.
The six universities participating in this pilot initiative are: the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina, the Institute of Nuclear Engineering (of the National Nuclear Energy Commission) in Brazil, Alexandria University in Egypt, the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates. As part of the implementation of the initiative during 2023, the Agency also delivered introductory courses on nuclear law at three universities which were attended by over 200 participants. The courses were held: in Brazil in May/June at the Nuclear Engineering Institute (IEN); in Egypt in November at Alexandria University; and in Jamaica in January at the University of the West Indies. These courses followed the two held in December 2022 in Argentina at the University of Buenos Aires and in the United Arab Emirates at Khalifa University. During 2023, the Agency also supported the training of 11 professors and faculty staff in nuclear law at the IAEA Nuclear Law Institute and the OECD/NEA International School of Nuclear Law.
These activities were implemented under the IAEA Legislative Assistance Programme within the framework of the IAEA technical cooperation programme.
