The consolidation of nuclear education and training through networking and knowledge management: a case study of Romania

Nuclear education and training networks will be developed at the national level to consolidate the existing expertise and provide a solid basis for networking at the international dimension. The Romanian Network of Excellence in Nuclear Physics and Engineering (REFIN) aims to develop an efficient, flexible and modern training system in the nuclear education area, which answers the requirements of the nuclear industry (Nuclear Power Plants – NPP, regulatory bodies, subcontractors, dismantling, radioprotection, waste management) and conforms to the perspectives of the EU and regional research initiatives. This project gathers all the Romanian entities (universities, R&D centres, training facilities) involved in nuclear education and uses the existing experience of the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN). REFIN implemented pilot modern training courses, delivered handbooks and multimedia support for these courses to strengthen and better use the existing research infrastructure for R&D among the network partners. It also introduced advanced learning technologies. All of the project partners' nuclear courses are available on the network's website using a MOODLE e-learning platform. Both current and specific educational and training activities of the network partners are oriented towards the nuclear knowledge management requirements. On this basis, the existing problems of nuclear knowledge management in Romania were identified as: difficulties in preserving the existing expertise, little or no interest in nuclear education and a low level of organisation of existing knowledge.