UNWE Is Designated as an IAEA Collaborating Centre for Nuclear Security

The UNWE is designated as an IAEA collaborating center for capacity building in the field of nuclear security under an agreement signed between the Rector of our university Prof. Dr, Dimitar Dimitrov and Karine Herviou, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. Prof. Svetoslav Spasov, Director of the UNWE Nuclear Security Support Center, represented the UNWE at the meeting in Vienna. 

"The designation of the UNWE as an IAEA center is based on long-standing cooperation and makes it our strategic partner", said Karine Herviou. "We look forward to implementing the agreement, which involves expertise, resources, and support to enhance the educational and training opportunities in the field of nuclear security worldwide."

Under the four-year agreement the UNWE will continue to educate students in the International Master's Degree Programme in Nuclear Security and to carry out activities as a Nuclear Security Support Center. In addition, the new collaborating center will host international meetings, training courses, and seminars on topics related to the small modular reactors, nuclear forensics, radiological crime scene management, and other nuclear security-related topics.

"This partnership will strengthen Bulgaria's role in supporting the international nuclear security efforts and contribute to the development of highly qualified specialists in the region", said Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, Rector of UNWE. "As a center for collaboration the UNWE will continue to develop education, applied research and institutional cooperation in line with the global standards", added the Rector.

Prof. Spasov said that the UNWE will be the fourth IAEA collaborating center in Europe and the twelfth one in the world for capacity building in the field of nuclear security.

Last year the UNWE celebrated the 10th Anniversary of its International Master's Degree Programme in Nuclear Security, which is an important milestone confirming the University's commitment to education in this critically important field. Since 2015 the UNWE has gained a substantial expertise, having trained more than 80 students from 15 countries in close collaboration with the IAEA.

As an IAEA collaborating center the UNWE plans to host annual meetings of the International Network for Training and Support in Nuclear Security and the International Network for Education in Nuclear Security, as well as an international seminar on human resources development in planning the nuclear security programmes.

The IAEA collaborating centers in the field of nuclear security are institutions, departments, or laboratories that support the Agency's work by providing technical expertise and theoretical and practical training, and by conducting specific research and development activities. In cooperation with the IAEA, these centers support efforts to build capacity in the field of nuclear security at national, regional and international levels.

In 2025 two new IAEA centers for collaboration in the field of nuclear security were designated in Canada and France, and two agreements were signed to extend the term of cooperation with centers in China and Morocco. The total number of the active IAEA centers for collaboration in the field of nuclear security currently is 15.