Emirates Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC)

Khalifa University Opens IAEA Nuclear Energy Management School

September 7, 2018

Hosted in the UAE for the third time and runs for two weeks
Khalifa University opened the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Nuclear Energy Management (NEM) School on May 14 2017 in Abu Dhabi. This is the third time the NEM School has been hosted in the UAE the first was in 2013 and the second was in 2015. The school is hosted in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) and the Nawah Energy Company (Nawah).  The school runs from May 14 – 25 2017.

The number of participants has largely increased from the second School — boasting 56 young UAE professionals from ENEC Nawah FANR CICPA and NCEMA who are currently working for the national nuclear energy program in addition to participants from both Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

The school was opened by a welcome address delivered by Dr. Tod Laursen Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s Interim President and saw a keynote speech from Mikhail Chudakov Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy at the IAEA. Mohammed Sahoo AlSuwaidi CEO Nawah Mohamed Al Hammadi CEO ENEC Christer Viktorsson Director-General of the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) and Dr. Arif Sultan Al Hammadi Khalifa University of Science Technology’s Interim Vice President were also in attendance.

More than 30 experts from the IAEA and other institutions will provide lectures to the participants over the two-week course.

The purpose of the joint UAE-IAEA NEMS is to provide a unique international educational experience aimed at building future leadership competencies to manage nuclear energy programs. It provides a broad understanding of the main issues and challenges associated with peaceful uses of nuclear technology such as safety security economics public acceptance non-proliferation and associated risks.

Expert lectures will focus on economics of nuclear power energy policy and energy planning legal aspects knowledge management human resource management and stakeholder involvement. Participants will learn about the fundamentals of nuclear energy nuclear technologies nuclear fuel cycle nuclear safety nuclear security nuclear safeguards and radiation control.

Participants at the 2-week long program will be exposed to a wide range of different teaching and training activities including lectures site visits discussions group work and presentations.

“The UAE is currently building its nuclear program for peaceful purposes ” said Dr. Arif Al Hammadi. “Therefore fostering human resources and providing them with the opportunities to acquire a broader knowledge of nuclear energy management is of the utmost importance. Khalifa University is pleased to assist with the education of our nuclear energy professionals and to extend that education to the region and the world.”

He also said: “This is the third time that Khalifa University has hosted NEM School which is a testament to the confidence IAEA has in our capabilities. This confidence stems from the fact that Khalifa University was a main supplier of human capital to the UAE’s nuclear energy program through its nuclear engineering related graduate programs. In addition Khalifa University is a partner and host of the Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute and has many relevant initiatives such as the nuclear engineering virtual classroom which enables students at KU and ENEC personnel stationed at Barakah to jointly participate in advanced training programs”

“We are pleased to be part of the Joint UAE-IAEA Nuclear Energy Management School this year. Building Emirati capacity in nuclear sector is a necessity and equipping them with the right tools to be nuclear professionals in the future ” said Christer Viktorsson Director-General of the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).

“Hosting such a school in the UAE reflects the strong relationship we have with the IAEA and our commitment to national stakeholders towards achieving the goal of carrying out a peaceful safe and secure nuclear programme ” Viktorsson added.

The first NEM School was held 2010 in cooperation with the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste Italy and was created with the aim of providing a wide range of knowledge on issues related to the nuclear energy sector. The 2012 School held in the UAE marked the first time that a member state held a regionally focused school.