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​ Introduction

The IAEA has a statutory function to establish standards for the protection of health, life and property against ionizing radiation and to provide for the application of these standards to peaceful nuclear activities. Education and Training (E&T) is one of the main mechanisms to provide support to Member States in the application of the standards.
Education and training actvities in the field on radiation, transport and waste safety are conducted on the basis of the principles provided in the Strategic Approach to Education and Training in Radiation, Transport and Waste Safety (2011–2020), submitted to the IAEA’s policy-making organs and noted by its Board of Governors on September 2010.
A Steering Committee for Education and Training in Radiation Protection and Waste Safety, established in 2002, is aimed at advising the IAEA on the implementation of the strategic approach. It comprises representatives from regional and collaborating centres, international organizations and IAEA staff with responsibilities for education and training in radiation, transport and waste safety

​Establishment of a national Strategy for building competence

IAEA Safety Requirements on Governmental, Legal and Regulatory Framework for Safetyrecommend that Governments establish a generic national policy and strategy for safety, and that this should include, inter alia, the need and provision for human resources.
More specifically, IAEA’s Strategic Approach to Education and Training in Raidation, Transport and Waste Safety (2011-2020) recommends that Member States specifically develop a national strategy for education and training in the field. Such a strategy can be considered to consist of four interlinked phases, where the outcome of one phase is the starting point for the next phase, with the loop being closed by evaluation and feedback.
The IAEA Safety Guide Building Competence in Radiation Protection and the Safe Use of Radiation Sources provides a general overview on the main concepts to establish a national straegy.

Mechanisms to assist Member States strengthen education and training

CompetenceBuildTools.jpgIAEA provide direct assistance to Member States via a range of mechanisms, such as by offering appraisal missions, running educational and training events and developing standardized syllabi. It has also supported the establishment of training centres at regional level These and other mechanisms are described below.
Appraisal services - IAEA offer an Education and Training Appraisal (EduTA) service to its Member States, with the objective of reviewing the national status of provisions for education and training in radiation protection. The host country is required to carry out a prior self-assessment based on IAEA Safety Standards and Guidance, which is then reviewed and validated by a team of international experts. An end-of-mission report describes the current national situation and identifies opportunities for improvement. The Scope of the EduTA service includes:
  • Carrying out a detailed appraisal of the status of the provisions for education and training in radiation protection and the safety of radiation sources, including the identification of the national education and training needs
  • Identifying areas in education and training, where the provisions should be improved (i) to cope with national education and training needs, (ii) to comply with IAEA safety standards, (iii) to adopt best practices
  • Making recommendations on actions to be taken to cope with the education and training recommendations as stated in the IAEA safety requirements and guides.
Competence Building Tools - IAEA has developed a large portfolio of material to support the conduction of education and training activities in radiation, transport and waste safety (Figure below left), including the postgraduate educational course and specialized training courses.

Training Centers at regional level have been established with the Agency’s support (Figure below right). They represent strong regional resources providing education and training courses for the Member States in the region and assisting individual Member States, in collaboration with the IAEA, in establishing and implementing national strategies for building competence through education and training.   

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