Technical Cooperation Programme Best Practices: Facilitating an Exchange of Knowledge and Experience Among Member States
A ‘Best Practice’, in the context of the IAEA’s technical cooperation (TC) programme, is a standing policy or widely-applicable technique that enables more effective and efficient delivery of the objectives of a TC project, by facilitating compliance with performance indicators.
To encourage continuous learning and innovation, the Department of Technical Cooperation collects and disseminates new Best Practices regularly. As a result, the TC programme knowledge base grows more comprehensive, year after year.
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Click through to see some TC Best Practices, and to learn how they’ve supported programme implementation.
Technological transfer on in situ leaching (ISL) mining: A more sustainable alternative for uranium production in Argentina <br>
When implementing technical cooperation projects, a perspective which seeks to ensure social acceptance and sustainability through public awareness is key. Open-pit mining is often used whenever commercially-useful minerals are found near the surface, but this methods exacts a costly environmental toll. Through a process of technology transfer, IAEA Member States are increasingly using in situ leaching mining as an alternative . Through awareness-raising and technical recommendations, this new method is being disseminated to ensure that ecologically-delicate habitats remain unharmed.
Submitted by Mr Luis Eduardo López and Mr Jan Slezak
Enabling sustainable uranium production in a global context <br>
As a new generation of experts prepares to enter the uranium industry, it is important to preserve the experiences and lessons cultivated in previous decades, in order to ensure sustainability and reduce socioeconomic costs. By adopting a holistic view of the uranium production cycle, gradually introducing participants to progressively challenging concepts, and designing modules based on individual Member State needs, IAEA workshops and training courses are helping to ensure that qualified professionals are always available to ensure safe, uninterrupted production.
Submitted by Mr Harikrishnan Tulsidas and Mr Jing Zhang
Drip irrigation technology for improved tea production for small scale farmers in Tanzania <br>
Demonstrating the effectiveness of a new technique is one thing, making sure that end users learn about it so that they can use it themselves is another. In Tanzania and other tea-producing Member States, drip irrigation can improve yields by up to 40% compared to rain fed crops. In this best practice, the project counterpart was able to demonstrate the effectiveness of drip irrigation and subsequently disseminate it to small-scale farmers. This has helped rural communities to produce better crops in larger volumes, and has improved local economic conditions.
Submitted by Mr Benjamin Mtaki, Ms Lee Kheng Heng and Mr Abdou Salam Ndiath
Encouraging local community involvement in TC rural water resource assessment projects <br>
Making sure that all stakeholders are involved and engaged is essential if a project is to be successful. Recent IAEA projects to support Member States as they address water scarcity within their borders have, alongside workshops and training courses, focused on engaging local community members. Using seminars and talks, national counterparts and IAEA experts were able to provide community leaders with valuable information about the goals of water projects, and to successfully involve the community in monitoring activities.
Submitted by Mr Luis Araguas and Mr Luis Eduardo Toro
Clear project tasks and effective management of counterpart duties <br>
Technical cooperation projects can be challenging to manage because of the number of stakeholders, international partners and experts involved. It is increasingly important to clearly identify project tasks, prepare regular progress reports, and closely review and support the work of national counterparts. It is also important to apply measurable parameters in order to evaluate success. By establishing clear project tasks and ensuring effective management of counterpart duties, more efficient and effective project results can be achieved.
Submitted by Ms Vesna Gershan
Project provided possibilities for mutual benefit of research institution and regulatory body <br>
Where limited resources are a challenge, it can be possible to generate ‘buy-in’ from various stakeholders. By linking the interests of public and private institutions, regulatory bodies and health facilities, the success of TC projects can be better ensured. In Latvia, both the University of Latvia and the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Agency (EGMA) needed a bio-dosimetry laboratory. By encouraging cooperation between the two organizations around this common cause, the project was able to enhance Latvia’s overall radiation and protection, and a shared dosimetry lab was set up.
Submitted by Mr Artis Jurkevics
School for drafting regulations: Dynamic approach for drafting regulations <br>
Schools of Drafting Regulations have been organized by the IAEA since 2010 to harmonize and streamline regional safety and security standards. The schools are recognised as an effective means to gain and exchange experience. The schools encourage compliance with the International Basic Safety Standards (BSS), the IAEA Code of Conduct and other international requirements by facilitating dialogue between Member States that already have a comprehensive regulatory infrastructure and Member States that do not have this infrastructure in place.
Submitted by Mr Goran Angelovski, Ms Emilija Petrova, and Ms Biljana Georievska
Equipment purchasing procedure improvement <br />
Many developing countries have significant procurement needs but lack the financial means to acquire sophisticated nuclear technologies. Therefore, equipment procurement is an important component in many technical cooperation projects. Equipment procurement was often carried out separately from capacity-building efforts. However, TC projects are increasingly including installation and operation training courses when carrying out procurement activities for new technologies, with great success. By bringing IAEA trainers, manufacturers, and Member State counterparts together, costs are reduced, installation is expedited, and the new technology is ready for use as soon as possible. <br />
Submitted by Mr Luis López
Enhanced prosperity of RCA: RCA promotional and information programme engaging a wide range of stakeholders <br>
In development areas where many organizations and actors are active, poor communication area can result in duplication of efforts and reduced efficiency. In order to reduce confusion, share information and promote its achievements, and at the same time to solicit new partnerships, the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology for Asia and the Pacific (RCA) has undertaken a new outreach programme. The launch of a new RCA website, together with the publication of success stories and the establishment of a comprehensive project database have broadened awareness of RCA activities and accomplishments, laying the ground for new partnerships.
Building the future on strong foundations: Evidence-based regional priorities for the RCA <br>
For individual Member States and for regional agreements alike, the development of clearly-elaborated, long-term strategies can be critical. The long-standing priorities of the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology for Asia and the Pacific (RCA) were previously discussed on an ad hoc basis. Now, Parties to the RCA have chosen to take a more systematicapproach: A rigorous analysis of all 119 RCA projects has been carried out, identifying strengths, knowledge gaps, and the extent of end-user involvement. Based on these findings, the RCA States Parties have developed a comprehensive set of regional priorities that will guide their activities in the coming years.
Building the future on effective and sustainable technology transfer: An active and monitored TCDC and partnership programme for the RCA <br>
Regional agreements are best positioned to deliver effective, efficient and sustainable results when their Member States participate in technology transfer. Members of the RCA have committed themselves to identifying and introducing technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC) and partnership activities into their work plans. By taking into account different development stages within a region, the IAEA can increasingly support cooperation in the provision of services and funds, training events and expert missions between Member States at different stages of technical advancement.
