France, UK join forces in nuclear skills

Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires and the National Skills Academy for Nuclear have announced they will work together to boost "long-standing Franco-British nuclear industry relations". Their cooperation will include development of a "quality standard" for skills provision and training that will enable them to design education programs, organise exchanges between students and lecturers and implement new, innovative teaching tools.

Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (INSTN) and the National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSAN) have announced they will work together to boost "long-standing Franco-British nuclear industry relations". Their cooperation will include development of a "quality standard" for skills provision and training that will enable them to design education programs, organise exchanges between students and lecturers and implement new, innovative teaching tools.

The signing of the agreement by Llewellyn and Corréa, witnessed by Ion and Davies (Image: NSAN)

Their commitment was outlined in an agreement signed at the French Residence in London yesterday by INSTN Director Phillipe Corréa and NSAN CEO Jean Llewellyn, in the presence of NSAN Honorary President Dame Sue Ion and NSAN Chairman Robert Davies.

Corréa said the agreement "highlights the strength" of Franco-British cooperation, particularly in nuclear energy. Llewellyn added that, as the UK "moves to action Brexit", it is "vital that our relationship with Europe is strengthened through collaborations such as this".

The quality standard the institutes aim to create will be recognised by a kitemark of quality, they said, with a further joint kitemark to be developed for use by professional associates of both organisations.

Ion stressed the importance of formally recognising and identifying the organisations' shared quality standards through a "professional hallmark of quality".

The benefits of the bilateral agreement could prove to be far-reaching, said Corréa, who described signing of the agreement as "a brick that can pave the way" for further cooperation between the nuclear industries of France and the UK.

Ion highlighted the potential for "further collaborative international projects" since both organisations will look to facilitate enhanced links with other education and training bodies in the two countries.

INSTN noted the "international recognition" it enjoys as an International Atomic Energy Agency ‘collaborating centre' for education and training in the nuclear sector. This, together with NSAN's role in the UK, means the new partnership represents "a major and concrete asset" for the development of nuclear skills and competences in the two countries, the French institute said.

Established in 1956, INSTN is a public higher education institution administered by the French Atomic energy and Alternative Energies Commission. NSAN is a UK member organisation that aims to improve the performance of companies in the nuclear industry through facilitating collaboration and action on skills development. It was created in 2007.

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News