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EU-CHINA Nuclear Education and Training Cooperation

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EU–China partnership on nuclear education

The peaceful use of nuclear energy is a pillar of the global agenda to meet energy needs in the 21st century. China and the EU forged a powerful union that mapped out a world-class joint training plan that is already bearing fruit.

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Both China and the EU have made great progress in the nuclear arena and can benefit from each other's expertise in the field. With this in mind, the EU-funded project 'EU-China nuclear education and training cooperation' (ECNET) worked on strengthening nuclear collaboration between these two world regions. In its bid to enhance nuclear education, training and knowledge exchange, the project identified opportunities and barriers for collaboration, defining a roadmap for long-lasting partnerships in the field. It worked on building mutual recognition of education and training programmes to foster exchange of human resources and knowledge. With one project team working in China and another in Europe, ECNET has built two strong consortia representing the finest academic institutions and organisations in both regions. It defined common needs and strategies in nuclear engineering, radiation protection and waste management, focusing on postgraduate education and training for young professionals. This has involved ongoing exchange of documents on curricula and course details. All student exchanges to date have been quite fruitful with participants valuing both the technical and social components. In parallel, the project analysed the compatibility of nuclear education systems and credits in China and the EU to enhance student and lecturer exchanges. The major barrier to exchange is language, making graduate-level studies most feasible where English can be an efficient means of communication. Scientists also mapped the nuclear education and training facilities and laboratories in both regions, available on the project web page. The site also features information on courses, scholarships, job offers and PhD opportunities. As a result of project activities, the Politecnico di Torino and Shanghai JaoTong University have signed an agreement. They will grant a double degree in Electric/Energy and Nuclear Engineering that could form the basis for future cooperative agreements. ECNET initiatives will help address the shortage of high-level graduates and retiring professionals within the nuclear field and open up more dynamic career opportunities. The objectives and strategies for long-term cooperation and a new era of synergy between China and the EU will take nuclear safety and energy to new heights.

Keywords

China, nuclear education, joint training, knowledge exchange, nuclear engineering

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