III INSEN Annual Meeting

The International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN) is holding its third annual meeting in Vienna, Austria, July 9-13, 2012. 

Participants in the 2012 Annual INSEN Meeting

INSEN Background

The need for human resource development programs in nuclear security was underlined at several IAEA General Conferences and Board of Governors’ Meetings. More recently, human resource development was highlighted by the 2010 and 2012 Nuclear Security Summits, which identified it as key to improving nuclear security culture and contributing to better protection of nuclear materials and facilities. Successive IAEA Nuclear Security Plans, the most recent of which was approved by the Board of Governors in September 2009 give high priority to assisting States in establishing educational programs in nuclear security in order to ensure the sustainability of nuclear security improvements. The current IAEA Nuclear Security Plan covering2010-2013 emphasizes the importance of considering existing capacities at international, regional and national levels while designing nuclear security academic programs.

In the course of implementing the Plans, the IAEA developed — together with academics and nuclear security experts from Member States — a guide entitled Educational Programme in Nuclear Security that consists of a model of a Master of Science (M.Sc.) and a Certificate Programme in Nuclear Security. This guide was published as IAEA Nuclear SecuritySeries No. 12 – Educational Programme in Nuclear Security in April 2010 to assist universities or other educational institutes in developing academic programs in nuclear security.

In order to better address current and future requests for assistance in this area, the IAEA organized a workshop in March 2010 during which the participants agreed to facilitate the collaboration among universities, research institutes and other stakeholders and established the International Nuclear Security Education Network (INSEN), a collaboration network for higher education in nuclear security.

INSEN members (currently 61 from over 20 countries) participate in three working groups to develop educational materials, create opportunities for faculty and student professional development, and promote INSEN and nuclear security education throughout the community. All members participate on a voluntary basis. To obtain more information, please contact the IAEA Office of Nuclear Security at nusec@iaea.org.