Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov, Dean of the Economics of Infrastructure Faculty and Head of the National and Regional Security Department, took part in the International Nuclear Security Education Network /INSEN/ Annual Conference in Vienna. The academic network, whose member the UNWE has been since 2014, is under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency /IAEA/.

The Conference was opened by Prof. Oum Hakam /Morocco/ and Prof. James Larkin /South Africa/. The participants were welcomed by the IAEA Director for Nuclear Security Raja Adnan Raja. During the forum the INSEN governing bodies were renewed. Prof. Dimitar Dimitrov was elected as Deputy Chairman of the First Working Group on Nuclear Security Curriculum Development and he chaired several of the sessions.

The session of the First Working Group

The first presentation during the first plenary session was by Prof. Dimitrov and its main topic concerned the successful graduation of the first class of International Master's Degree Programme in Nuclear Security implemented by the UNWE which is the only one in the world.

Prof. Dimitrov during his presentation

The objective of the International Master's Degree Programme is to prepare highly qualified managers for the needs of nuclear security. The Programme already has two graduating classes with a total of 19 students, including 13 international students from 10 countries /Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Jordan, Nigeria, Lebanon, Mauritania, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia/, some of the graduates are IAEA fellows. The Programme is supported by the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant and the Ministry of Energy. The graduation of the first Master's students was attended by the Minister of Energy Temenuzhka Petkova, graduate of UNWE.

Prof. Dimitrov is presenting the results of the Master's Degree Programme

The Master's Degree Programme is in English, lasts for two years, combines theoretical and practical classes and includes 22 disciplines, laboratory exercises, technical visits, simulations, etc. More than 10 universities and institutions from Bulgaria and abroad participate in the Programme. The admission of the third class of students has already started.

The Programme is developed and implemented within the framework of the cooperation agreement between the UNWE and the IAEA signed by the Rector Prof. D.Sc./Econ./ Statty Stattev and IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano during his visit to Sofia in June 2014. The coordinator for the implementation of the agreement by the UNWE is Prof. Dimitrov.

More information about the Programme: http://www.unwe.bg/nuclear-security/en

During the five-day event of INSEN issues related to the development of nuclear security curricula, the training and professional development of nuclear security educators and researchers as well as public awareness on those important topics were discussed in plenary sessions and working groups.

Moments from the working groups sessions

The participants in the INSEN Conference in Vienna, 24-28 July 2017