Obninsk NEW International Youth Nuclear Forum arranged with the support of ROSATOM was opened in Obninsk on September, 21. More than 500 experts, young scientists and specialists from more than 70 countries gathered at the venue. They will discuss global challenges faced by the industry on the path to creation of the future based on the sustainable development principles as well as the prospects for development of nuclear and related sciences, arrangement of the new system for training of the industry specialists and their career management.
Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, in his welcome speech to the forum participants emphasized that "the future of the global nuclear industry depends particularly on the youth". He noted that persistent efforts for arrangement of Obninsk Tech International Scientific and Educational Center of Nuclear and Related Technologies were starting in Obninsk at this time. "I am sure that it will become the leading cluster and the point of attraction for the talented youth from every corner of the world. It will facilitate training of high-class specialists sought after in the economic sectors and enable to ensure technological sovereignty of Russia in the area of new nuclear scientific developments", Mikhail Mishustin emphasized.
In his speech to the forum participants Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, explained that "as the nuclear industry has stemmed from science, thoroughly trained specialists are very important for its further development and creation of the sustainable future". "We are arranging the global nuclear education cluster with the support of the Russian President. It is the youth that must define what the education should be like tomorrow and over-tomorrow. Our mission is to help the youth in this work. That is why today we are arranging the unique international scientific and educational platform in Obninsk together with National Nuclear Research University MEPhI - the leader of the Consortium of Rosatom Flagship Universities - in order to train specialists for the future nuclear projects", he said. Head of ROSATOM also expressed his confidence that arrangement and development of Obninsk Tech International Nuclear Education Center with participation of all stakeholders from the partner countries would enable our country to cover at least 20% of the global nuclear and related education market approximately by 2030.
Mikhail Chudakov, Deputy Director General of the IAEA, Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, Hortensia Jiménez Rivera, Director General of the Nuclear Energy Agency of Bolivia, Alikaan Çiftçi, Director of the Nuclear Industry Association of Turkey, Vladimir Shevchenko, Rector of the National Nuclear Research University MEPhI, and others took part in the plenary session Strong Education as the Foundation for Sustainable Development of the World.
“Nuclear energy is an essential piece of future clean energy systems and a symbol of decarbonisation urgently needed for environmental protection and for the improvement of people's quality of life. It is important that people all over the world have access to clean energy, and education is a key component to forming a basis for understanding the importance of nuclear technologies”, noted Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association.
«Today we are going through important economic and technological transformations, so it is important to find new ways of the development to improve people's quality of life. The key factor in the development of nuclear technology is education. After all, the implementation of energy projects requires highly qualified professionals. I encourage young people to participate in our educational projects to promote nuclear projects and prosperity», said Hortensia Jiménez Rivera, Director General, Bolivian Nuclear Energy Agency.
«It is assumed that the AKKUYU NPP will cover the need for 10% of electricity in Turkey. We are working to improve our competence in the field of nuclear energy in order to take a more active part in international nuclear projects in the near future. There is no doubt that Obninsk plays an important part in providing education and, according to our agreement, the training of engineers and scientific personnel is carried out here. More than 300 young engineers must be trained by the end of 2027. This fact should stimulate the interest of young people in choosing the nuclear industry to build their career», commented Alikaan Ciftci, President, Nuclear Industry Association of Türkiye.
Scientific readings where the reports on the results of the recent research in nuclear physics will be presented, the Youth Scientific and Technical Conference n.a. Ye. Slavsky, the innovation laboratory as well as educational, sport and cultural events will take place within the framework of the forum.
The forum will continue its work till September, 23.
For reference:
Obninsk NEW International Youth Nuclear Forum is the first youth nuclear forum in the history arranged in Obninsk. It is intended to unite the global "nuclear" youth in order to solve the tasks for joint design of the scientific research project in Russia. The event is arranged within the framework of preparation for the World Youth Festival to be held in Russia in 2024, and the Decade of Science and Technology declared by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 231 dated 25.04.2022 "On declaration of the Decade of Science and Technology in the Russian Federation". The key objective of the Forum is to involve the youth from different countries of the world into arrangement of the advanced international nuclear education center (Obninsk Tech) and development of joint initiatives aimed to solve the urgent problems of the global nuclear industry and the related industry sectors. A strategic session with participation of the youth from more than 50 countries will be held within the framework of the event.
Obninsk Tech International Scientific and Educational Center of Nuclear and Related Technologies is intended to form the technological elite through consolidation of the efforts of higher educational institutions, the leading scientific organizations and business. The Center arranged with involvement of MEPhI, the supporting university of Rosatom, will become a hub for development of modern educational technologies, exposition of export-oriented products of the Russian high-tech companies, the platform for congresses, exhibitions, international schools. The idea and concept of the Center arrangement received the support from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation represented by Minister Valery Falkov. Since the beginning of the year this idea has been repeatedly discussed within a series of strategic sessions with participation of the Government of Kaluga region, the administration of Obninsk, NRC Kurchatov Institute, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Dubna) and other organizations.