Technical Working Group on Nuclear Knowledge Management (TWG-NKM)

Background

The Technical Working Group on Nuclear Knowledge Management (TWG-NKM) is a group of experienced senior nuclear energy sector managers who provide strategic and practical advice and assistance to the IAEA for programme development and implementation, reflecting global, regional and national issues and priorities of concern in the area of nuclear knowledge management.

Scope

The scope of the TWG-NKM is to provide periodic input and guidance on nuclear knowledge management issues or priorities in Member States and to identify new or changing topics or focus areas of interest from the perspective of various nuclear organizations and stakeholders and over the whole nuclear technology life cycle, including the perspectives of:

• national regulatory authorities;
• nuclear facility operators;
• design organizations;
• technical support organizations;
• research and development organizations, and
• nuclear education institutes.

The TWG-NKM coordinates its work with other IAEA activities in interfacing areas, as well as with related activities of other international organizations, in order to enhance its effectiveness and to exchange information.

Functions

The functions of the TWG-NKM are to:
a) provide advice and guidance, and to marshal support in their countries for implementation of the IAEA’s programmatic activities in the area of nuclear knowledge management (NKM);

b) provide a forum for information and knowledge sharing on national and international programme development in the NKM area;

c) act as a link between the IAEA’s activities in this area and national nuclear scientific and technical development communities, delivering information from and to these communities;

d) provide advice on preparatory actions in Member States and on the IAEA’s activities in planning and implementing coordinated research projects, collaborative assessments and other activities, as well as the review of the issues within the scope of the TWG-NKM;

e) develop and/or review selected documents produced by the NKM Section in the Department of Nuclear Energy, assess existing gaps, and advise on preparation of new ones, in the scope of the TWG-NKM;

f) identify important topics for discussion at the Standing Advisory Group on Nuclear Energy
SAGNE);

g) contribute to status reports, technical meetings and topical conferences in the field of nuclear knowledge management;

h) encourage participation of all professionals, as appropriate, in IAEA activities in this area;

i) provide advice and support for established international educational networks, as appropriate within the scope of the TWG-NKM; and

j) promote and build stakeholder and sponsorship support for the IAEA NKM Section’s collaboration initiatives with universities in nuclear education curricula and programme criteria development and virtual university master programme networks.

Membership

Members of the TWG-NKM shall be recommended by the NKM Section, endorsed by the respective national authorities or organizations, and appointed by the Deputy Director General of the Department of Nuclear Energy.

Members of the TWG-NKM:

• shall be recognized experts in nuclear science, technology or engineering having extensive experiences in national nuclear organizations;
• shall have experience and understanding of nuclear knowledge management issues and approaches;
• are to serve for a standard length of four years;
• shall participate in the Group in their personal capacity and shall provide as appropriate views on policies and strategies in the field; and
• may, as appropriate, bring experts to provide additional information and share experiences in the meetings of the TWG-NKM.

Term Duration

2 years