The awarding of diplomas to the first masters who studied at the Faculty of Thermal Power Engineering of KPI under the program “Physical Protection and Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials” in the specialty 143 “Atomic Energy” took place on February 12, 2021.
Their journey to these celebrations began in September 2019, when with the initiative and assistance of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, with the support of international partners from the United States, Sweden, Canada and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), this program was opened at KPI. Igor Sikorsky. Its support was also provided by the US Department of Energy, with the support of experts from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies of the Monterey Institute for International Studies, who assessed Ukraine’s ability to provide a national training system for nuclear safety. They recognized KPI as the most suitable Ukrainian university for this purpose. However, the new program on physical protection, accounting and control of nuclear materials did not crystallize immediately: the development of curricula and preparation for its implementation took more than three years.
Even more, a training and research laboratory “Physical Nuclear Safety” was established at the Faculty of Thermal Power Engineering, without which the training of specialists in this field would be very difficult, if at all possible. The equipment for it was purchased with the financial assistance of the Office of International Security of Canada, and the renovation and preparation of the premises for its installation was done at the expense of the Swedish Radiation Safety Agency.
Assistance from Western partners was not limited to the development and implementation of a new nuclear safety and laboratory program at the university. They also provided additional teacher training – the US Department of Energy took part in its organization. Thanks to his support, the staff of KPI. Igor Sikorsky completed internships at the Technical University of Texas and the Sandy National Laboratory of the United States, as well as training at IAEA courses.
Undoubtedly, a huge contribution to the implementation of the program “Physical Protection and Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials” in KPI was made by the state executive authorities of Ukraine – the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, as well as other organizations and state enterprises – NNEGC “Energoatom”. “, State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine, etc. It should also be mentioned that the practical training of future specialists was carried out not only within the university, but also on the basis of the George Kuzmich Training Center for Physical Protection, Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials of the Institute of Nuclear Research of the NAS of Ukraine. proving ground. Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Yevhen Vladimirov said in his speech before the presentation of diplomas in the meeting room of the Academic Council of KPI that Ukraine desperately needs these specialists. “Ukraine is currently in a state of hybrid war. And that is why this area of training for nuclear energy is extremely important,” he said.
“The opening of this program is a shining example of coordinated cooperation between Ukraine and its partners, who have made every effort to create nuclear security for global security purposes.”
It should be noted that the enrollment of students for the new program was a record: 29 part-time students and 9 full-time students. “Most of them are people who already work in the field of nuclear energy. Among them are representatives of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, employees of the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management, employees of the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine and other enterprises, told the dean of TEF Eugene Written.
They studied in two groups of part-time students who received their diplomas today. Graduates of the hospital have also already received diplomas. Almost all of them have already got a job in their specialty. And, of course, the first graduates will be followed by others, because now their successors are studying in this specialty, and in the summer there will be another set. That is, the training of such specialists for the Ukrainian energy sector will continue. “
Given the attention and support of this program by foreign partners, not only representatives of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine, the State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation of Ukraine, NNEGC Energoatom were invited to the graduation ceremony and the awarding of diplomas to its first graduates. State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management, but also the Embassy of the United States of America in Ukraine, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in Ukraine, the Embassy of Canada in Ukraine, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Swedish Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority and the US Department of Energy, Global relations between Canada and other partners. However, due to the need to comply with all sanitary and anti-epidemic measures against the spread of COVID-19, they took part in the ceremony online. Which, of course, did not prevent their speeches with congratulations to graduates.
Of course, the culmination of the festivities was the awarding of diplomas. Their first masters in nuclear nuclear safety, together with congratulations and wishes of success in the chosen case, received from the hands of KPI Vice-Rector for International Relations Serhiy Sydorenko, Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Yevhen Vladimirov and Deputy Head of the State Agency of Ukraine for Exclusion Zone Management Maksym Shevchuk.
