Pilot School for Regulating Small Modular Reactors

The Pilot School for Regulating Small Modular Reactors (SMR) will be hosted by the Government of the Republic of Poland in Warsaw, Poland, 25 August to 5 September 2025. Participation will be in-person only and the presentations will be held in English

Objectives

The purpose of the pilot school is to provide Member States’ regulatory bodies with the necessary knowledge and tools for safe and secure small modular reactor (SMR) deployment, including the common positions developed by the SMR Regulators’ Forum and detailed examples and in-depth case studies on adaptation of  regulatory requirements and practices to SMRs and on conducted regulatory reviews for SMRs.

Target Audience

The pilot school is intended for the regulatory bodies of countries embarking on a nuclear power programme or countries considering expanding their nuclear power programmes and considering the deployment of SMRs in the medium term.

Topics

The following topics will be covered during the School: 

• The IAEA’s initiatives on SMRs
• The work of the SMR Regulators’ Forum 
•  Overview of SMR technologies;   
• Applicability of the IAEA Safety Standards to SMRs;  
• Case studies on application and adaptation of national regulatory frameworks to SMRs with focus on design review: 
  • Regulatory expectations used in reviews, what is behind the expectations and how they apply or not to SMRs; 
  • Examples of countries that have planned /are planning to change their regulatory frameworks to better adapt to SMR issues.
• Case studies of SMR design reviews (review criteria and outcomes): 
  • How the review framework and the scope of the review was identified. 
  • Development of review plans. 
  • Overview of review outcomes and reasoning behind. 
  • Comprehensive coverage of key technical topics with practical exercises for participants. 
  • Case studies focusing on on-site detailed design;
• Design and safety analysis for SMRs. 
• Licensing process challenges related to SMRs. 
• Manufacturing, construction, commissioning, and operation issues.   

A half day visit to an institution or nuclear facility in Poland will be included.  

Participation and Registration

All persons wishing to participate in the event have to be designated by an IAEA Member State or should be members of organizations that have been invited to attend.  

In order to be designated by an IAEA Member State or invited organization, participants are requested to submit their application via the InTouch+ platform (https://intouchplus.iaea.org) to the competent national authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Mission to the IAEA or National Atomic Energy Authority) or organization for onward transmission to the IAEA by 15 June 2025, following the registration procedure in InTouch+: 

1. Access the InTouch+ platform (https://intouchplus.iaea.org): 

• Persons with an existing NUCLEUS account can sign in to the platform with their username and password; 

• Persons without an existing NUCLEUS account can register here. 

2. Once signed in, prospective participants can use the InTouch+ platform to: 

• Complete or update their personal details under ‘Complete Profile’ and upload the relevant supporting documents; 

• Search for the relevant event under the ‘My Eligible Events’ tab; 

• Select the Member State or invited organization they want to represent from the drop-down menu entitled ‘Designating Authority’ (if an invited organization is not listed, please contact InTouchPlus.Contact-Point@iaea.org);  

• If applicable, indicate whether financial support is requested and complete the relevant information (this is not applicable to participants from invited organizations); 

• Based on the data input, the InTouch+ platform will automatically generate the Participation Form (Form A) and/or the Grant Application Form (Form C); 

• Submit their application. 

Once submitted through the InTouch+ platform, the application, together with the auto-generated form(s), will be transmitted automatically to the required authority for approval. If approved, the application, together with the applicable form(s), will automatically be sent to the IAEA through the online platform. 

NOTE: The application for financial support should be made, together with the submission of the application, by 15 June 2025.  

For additional information on how to apply for an event, please refer to the InTouch+ Help page. Any other issues or queries related to InTouch+ can be sent to InTouchPlus.Contact-Point@iaea.org. 

Selected participants will be informed in due course on the procedures to be followed with regard to administrative and financial matters.  

Participants are hereby informed that the personal data they submit will be processed in line with the Agency’s Personal Data and Privacy Policy and is collected solely for the purpose(s) of reviewing and assessing the application and to complete logistical arrangements where required. The IAEA may also use the contact details of Applicants to inform them of the IAEA’s scientific and technical publications, or the latest employment opportunities and current open vacancies at the IAEA. These secondary purposes are consistent with the IAEA’s mandate. Further information can be found in the Data Processing Notice concerning IAEA InTouch+ platform. 

Key Deadlines and Dates

• 15 June 2025: Deadline to receive nominations from Member States.
• 25 August to 5 September2025: Pilot School dates.

List of Member States Invited to Attend

Based on the Host Government Agreement (HGA), the Member States invited to attend this Pilot school are listed hereinafter: 

Member States

 Intergovernmental Organizations 

European Commission