Abstract:

Belarus is in the process of building nuclear power generation with two reactors envisaged: the first unit started operation in 2021, and the second unit is expected to go into service this year 2022. Higher Education in nuclear safety and radiation protection will be of utmost importance, hence appropriate curricula need to be developed and set in place. Aim of project RADIUM is the development of curricula at the Master level, in line with Bologna principles, to be accredited by the Ministry of Education and adopted throughout the country. To this aim, a number of Belarusian Universities, covering almost all the regions of the country, have been involved in the project, and will serve both as developers and as “testing facilities” for the new curricula. The EU Universities involved all have a long-lasting and deep experience in the field, in which they have developed in the past their own curricula. The expected results will be an innovative two-year study program, including a special attention to practical training effected with a two-prong approach: new, up to date didactic laboratories to be set up in all the Belarusian partner HEIs; traineeships in institutions and companies active in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection. Special attention is focused on “training the trainers”, i.e. professional instruction and internship for the teachers-to-be. Ideally, a first generation of teachers is being formed during the three years of the project, and this first group of fully trained teachers will continue the work raising the new generations of instructors. The end result will be a countrywide education framework in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection. The impact on the country is quite clear: the capability of handling the new nuclear industry safely and effectively. But there is also a wider impact for Europe: a newcomer in the nuclear industry can be trusted to be fully capable to manage its nuclear potential. The project is now in its third year of operation, the background information has been gathered, including contacting the national stakeholders, and a framework has been established in the form of a comprehensive policy paper; the schemes of all the courses have been laid down and syllabi prepared. A first set of training courses for the Belarusian teachers has been carried out, successfully, albeit the training had to be done on line due to Covid related travel restrictions. In the coming fall, a first run of the MS program is expected to start.

Keywords:

Nuclear engineering, Radiation protection, Nuclear safety, Master's program.