Fellowships are an important component of the IAEA’s technical cooperation (TC) programme, which helps Member States establish and strengthen capacities for the safe, peaceful and secure use of nuclear technology for sustainable socioeconomic development. They prepare local personnel to apply nuclear techniques in the national sector and to address scientific and technical problems related to their country’s development. Fellows are sent abroad for comprehensive training in a suitable institution for periods up to one year, and in certain cases longer fellowships are considered.
Since the inception of the IAEA’s TC programme in 1956, 49 493 fellowships have provided professionals with an opportunity to gain practical work experience, benefit from training, or achieve academic qualifications in the peaceful application of nuclear technology
The IAEA has been collecting feedback from former fellows through surveys since 2011. In 2017, 6435 IAEA technical cooperation fellows for the period 2009–2014 were invited to evaluate their individual experiences in the fellowship component of the IAEA’s TC programme. This evaluation took the form of a web survey covering a range of fellowship-related topics, including:
- factors informing former fellows’ decisions to apply;
- former fellows’ assessment of various aspects of their placements;
- the fields in which former fellows are working;
- where former fellows reside following completion of the fellowship;
- the extent to which the fellowship contributed to fellows’ career advancement; and
- the extent to which the fellowship contributed to addressing national development priorities.
The latest ‘Where Are They Now’ fellowship report, summarizing the findings of the survey for 2009 – 2014, includes data on fellow demographics, fellowship opportunities, benefits and host institute performance, and post-fellowship development. The results from this survey will be used to assess the impact and quality of IAEA fellowships, and to improve areas highlighted by respondents.
