The European Nuclear Education Network: 20 years of service to the nuclear fission community

•ENEN creation: historical context.•The nuclear engineering academic offer today.•Education in nuclear in an international perspective.•ENEN contributions to nuclear education (international mobility and EMSNE).•Nuclear applications spectrum and related ENEN prospects. The European Nuclear Engineeri...

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Published in:Nuclear engineering and design 2024-04, Vol.419, p.112974, Article 112974
Main Authors: Giot, Michel, Cirillo, Roberta, D'haeseleer, William, Moons, Frans, Van Goethem, Georges
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Competence
Education
Engineering
Mobility
Safety
Training
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Summary:•ENEN creation: historical context.•The nuclear engineering academic offer today.•Education in nuclear in an international perspective.•ENEN contributions to nuclear education (international mobility and EMSNE).•Nuclear applications spectrum and related ENEN prospects. The European Nuclear Engineering Network Association (ENEN), later named European Nuclear Education Network, was created 20 years ago after concerns had been expressed by the nuclear industrial sector about the recruitment of qualified workforce. Networking between European universities and research centers appeared as a tool to attract more students in nuclear engineering by offering them various harmonized curricula and enhanced learning opportunities in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA). This was achieved by developing new programs in areas such as radiochemistry, radiation protection, nuclear safety engineering, geological disposal and radioactive waste management, and by offering important mobility opportunities for engineering education and training. Through its successive Framework Programs, the European Commission supplied an important financial support to ENEN projects: besides the mobility actions, around 40 thematic projects enabled to develop new products such as well-coordinated programs, learning platforms, and distance learning courses. The paper concludes with suggestions for the future. A suggested area for new inter-university co-operations is the strengthening of the academic programs in the field of the global energy approach for the benefit of decarbonization. This would involve courses on technical, economic and environmental aspects of the energy mix.
ISSN:0029-5493
1872-759X
DOI:10.1016/j.nucengdes.2024.112974