The IAEA and Bulgaria’s University of National and World Economy (UNWE) have renewed a cooperation agreement in the field of nuclear security education and human resource development.
The Practical Arrangement, signed February 15, 2019, by Raja Adnan, Director of the IAEA Division of Nuclear Security on behalf of Deputy Director General Juan Carlos Lentijo, Head of the IAEA Department of Nuclear Safety and Security, and University Rector Statty Stattev, extends cooperation that began with an initial agreement signed five years ago. The new agreement is valid until 2022.
As part of the cooperation, the UNWE in 2015 established a master’s degree programme in nuclear security. So far, students from Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Nigeria, Sudan, Zambia and Uganda have graduated from the programme. Under the new agreement, the IAEA will continue to support the programme with teaching materials, experts and curriculum development assistance.
“This partnership is a part of a wider IAEA human resources development strategy aimed at assisting Member States, upon request, to establish and maintain sustainable and effective national nuclear security regimes,” said Raja Adnan. “An important component of sustainability is for a State to have a sufficient number of well-educated and trained staff with the right competence, skills and security culture to advance and maintain nuclear security across many different disciplines.”
Ambassador Svetoslav Spassov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Bulgaria, who took part in the signing ceremony added: “Our ability to meet the current and future nuclear security challenges at the national, regional, and international levels, depends on availability of nuclear security experts. We are proud of our progress, but recognize that Bulgaria, IAEA and other countries need to do more.”
Assistance in establishing academic programmes in nuclear security, developed in line with the IAEA Nuclear Security Series Technical Guidance Educational Programme in Nuclear Security (No. 12), is part of the IAEA’s human resource development strategy in nuclear security. The IAEA also offers courses, e-learning, professional networks, and schools on nuclear security.