Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ENEEP (EUROPEAN NUCLEAR EXPERIMENTAL EDUCATIONAL PLATFORM (ENEEP))
Período documentado: 2020-12-01 hasta 2022-11-30
The aim and the overall objective of the project was to build European Nuclear Experimental Educational Platform (ENEEP). The project was successful in doing so and prepared an ENEEP platform which serves European users to enhance their experimental education and hands-on activities in nuclear curricula, particularly in the field of nuclear safety and radiation protection.
ENEEP was established as an open platform for any European university or European research institute that is actively involved in experimental nuclear education, training and competence building. The ENEEP founding members are the five partners of the project, i.e. STU, CTU, TU Wien, JSI, and BME. All partners are heavily involved in experimental nuclear education, training and competence building. Four project partners, namely STU, CTU, TU Wien and BME, established in 2003 the Eugene Wigner course which put together three research nuclear reactors and offered experimental reactor courses for master students in nuclear engineering using these reactors.
Nowadays, it is difficult to enable access to research nuclear reactors for students and their lecturers to provide them with a possibility of passing through dedicated nuclear reactor physics experiments or hand-on reactor technology experience. The ENEEP creates opportunities to get access to nuclear experimental facilities such as research reactors and specific experimental laboratories for university students at all academic levels (bachelors, masters and doctoral), professors, lecturers, experts in nuclear education, etc. In addition to the nuclear education, ENEEP offers specific nuclear training of professionals, particularly young professionals and post-docs at the beginning of their professional career. Staff from governmental and non-commercially oriented companies such as regulatory bodies, governmental organizations dealing with various aspects of peaceful use of nuclear energy, research institutions, etc. will be trained.
The project addresses the need of maintaining the availability of experimental nuclear education, training and competence building at research facilities at the European level, which is recently ever more challenging, due to numerous research facilities being shut down, high facility operating costs, high level of retirement of personnel in the nuclear field, increasing complex security issues related to access to nuclear facilities, etc. The project developed processes to interconnect the partner research facilities in a coordinated effort to prepare and make available modern education, training and competence building activities to students and trainees communities.
ENEEP was established as an open platform for any European university or European research institute that is actively involved in experimental nuclear education, training and competence building. The ENEEP founding members are the five partners of the project, i.e. STU, CTU, TU Wien, JSI, and BME. All partners are heavily involved in experimental nuclear education, training and competence building. Four project partners, namely STU, CTU, TU Wien and BME, established in 2003 the Eugene Wigner course which put together three research nuclear reactors and offered experimental reactor courses for master students in nuclear engineering using these reactors.
Nowadays, it is difficult to enable access to research nuclear reactors for students and their lecturers to provide them with a possibility of passing through dedicated nuclear reactor physics experiments or hand-on reactor technology experience. The ENEEP creates opportunities to get access to nuclear experimental facilities such as research reactors and specific experimental laboratories for university students at all academic levels (bachelors, masters and doctoral), professors, lecturers, experts in nuclear education, etc. In addition to the nuclear education, ENEEP offers specific nuclear training of professionals, particularly young professionals and post-docs at the beginning of their professional career. Staff from governmental and non-commercially oriented companies such as regulatory bodies, governmental organizations dealing with various aspects of peaceful use of nuclear energy, research institutions, etc. will be trained.
The project addresses the need of maintaining the availability of experimental nuclear education, training and competence building at research facilities at the European level, which is recently ever more challenging, due to numerous research facilities being shut down, high facility operating costs, high level of retirement of personnel in the nuclear field, increasing complex security issues related to access to nuclear facilities, etc. The project developed processes to interconnect the partner research facilities in a coordinated effort to prepare and make available modern education, training and competence building activities to students and trainees communities.
The consortium has been implementing the project in accordance with the Grant agreement project plan. In the Period 1, the progress in the specific objectives was as follows:
Specific objective 1 – Establishing the consortium and managing its activities through the project implementation (WP2): The project activities were managed via procedures introduced at the kick-off meeting and maintained by project manager and work-package leaders. These activities included monitoring the WPs’ progress and the measurable outcomes, supervision of the budget spending, data collection for reporting and quality control of the reports. The project was extended for another 6 months to allow more dissemination and additional training course for lecturers.
Specific objective 2 – Identification and analysis of the capabilities of the consortium infrastructure: In the WP3, the consortium succeeded to analyse existing and potential capabilities for education, training and competence building of each project partner and has identified the existing and potential user groups for nuclear education, training and competence building. This specific objective was achieved in the Period 1 through WP 3 with some minor updates in Period 2.
Specific objective 3 – SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the capabilities of the consortium: In the WP3, the consortium has performed a SWOT analysis, based on the top of the specific objective 2 results, and identified the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to formation of a nuclear education platform. This specific objective was achieved in the Period 1 through WP 3.
Specific objective 4 – Establishing the European Nuclear Experimental Education Platform - ENEEP: The consortium has defined an advanced concept of the ENEEP platform and specified procedures for application of external entities to the courses. This specific objective was completed in Period 2 in WP4 as planned by defining the structure of the ENEEP platform, legal issues, financial issues, logistics issues, security issues, communication ways and tools with users and among the ENEEP partners.
Specific objective 5 – Demonstrating the capabilities of the created ENEEP: To demonstrate the capabilities of the ENEEP for education, training and competence building for groups and individuals. It was achieved through WP 5 in the Period 2 by organising and performing seven pilot training courses - two individual, two group and one for lecturers.
Specific objective 6 – Dissemination of the results and promotion of ENEEP: The consortium has build solid base for disseminate the results of the project within the European nuclear community and worldwide. It has created communication channels (on-line and off-line) and is producing content for promotion of the ENEEP capabilities. The consortium has opened communication with IAEA, OECD NEA and other subjects, including projects funded in recent EURATOM calls.
Specific objective 1 – Establishing the consortium and managing its activities through the project implementation (WP2): The project activities were managed via procedures introduced at the kick-off meeting and maintained by project manager and work-package leaders. These activities included monitoring the WPs’ progress and the measurable outcomes, supervision of the budget spending, data collection for reporting and quality control of the reports. The project was extended for another 6 months to allow more dissemination and additional training course for lecturers.
Specific objective 2 – Identification and analysis of the capabilities of the consortium infrastructure: In the WP3, the consortium succeeded to analyse existing and potential capabilities for education, training and competence building of each project partner and has identified the existing and potential user groups for nuclear education, training and competence building. This specific objective was achieved in the Period 1 through WP 3 with some minor updates in Period 2.
Specific objective 3 – SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the capabilities of the consortium: In the WP3, the consortium has performed a SWOT analysis, based on the top of the specific objective 2 results, and identified the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to formation of a nuclear education platform. This specific objective was achieved in the Period 1 through WP 3.
Specific objective 4 – Establishing the European Nuclear Experimental Education Platform - ENEEP: The consortium has defined an advanced concept of the ENEEP platform and specified procedures for application of external entities to the courses. This specific objective was completed in Period 2 in WP4 as planned by defining the structure of the ENEEP platform, legal issues, financial issues, logistics issues, security issues, communication ways and tools with users and among the ENEEP partners.
Specific objective 5 – Demonstrating the capabilities of the created ENEEP: To demonstrate the capabilities of the ENEEP for education, training and competence building for groups and individuals. It was achieved through WP 5 in the Period 2 by organising and performing seven pilot training courses - two individual, two group and one for lecturers.
Specific objective 6 – Dissemination of the results and promotion of ENEEP: The consortium has build solid base for disseminate the results of the project within the European nuclear community and worldwide. It has created communication channels (on-line and off-line) and is producing content for promotion of the ENEEP capabilities. The consortium has opened communication with IAEA, OECD NEA and other subjects, including projects funded in recent EURATOM calls.
The impact and value of ENEEP is in providing access to nuclear experimental facilities and allowing students and trainees to conduct actual experimental activities. Experience gained through real experimental work is long-lasting and allows to complement and consolidate the knowledge in the nuclear field acquired in the framework of lectures and specialized courses in a long term. More importantly, the experience gained through ENEEP will broaden the young generation’s horizons in safe and secure operation of current and future nuclear installations.
ENEEP platform is ready to become a leading European platform offering experimental nuclear education and training activities. The sustainability of project results is in the ENEEP association activities and follow-up projects that already shown their interested in ENEEP education and training activities.
ENEEP platform is ready to become a leading European platform offering experimental nuclear education and training activities. The sustainability of project results is in the ENEEP association activities and follow-up projects that already shown their interested in ENEEP education and training activities.