A video conference in the format of a round table discussion was held on December 4, 2020 as part of the STAR-NET course “International nuclear cooperation. Technical aspects”. The conference was attended by students from Armenia, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, and experts and staff of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), as well as teachers from universities-members.

About 40 students from the National Polytechnic University of Armenia (NPUA), Belarusian State University (BSU), National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (NRNU MEPhI), National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) and Odessa National Polytechnic University (ONPU) participated in the conference.

Over the past three years, the STAR-NET has been conducting lectures by leading IAEA experts for Masters’ students on nuclear engineering within the course “International Nuclear Cooperation. Technical aspects”. The aim of the course is to provide the main approaches, mechanisms and means of international nuclear cooperation as key resource in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

During the round table, the experts answered the questions that the students had during the course and questions of the universities staff. Questions were related to nuclear safety, safety culture, the use of research reactors, prospects for the development of nuclear energy, digitalization of nuclear power plants and other technical and economic aspects of the peaceful use of nuclear technologies.

In general, the video conference found to be useful for both students and teachers and experts — the experience in conducting the course in 2020 will make it possible to amend and improve the implementation of the course for the next year, taking into account the opinions of students and teachers of STAR-NET universities.

In 2021 the course will be open to all universities-members of STAR-NET and will be held regularly. As a result of studying the course, students will gain an understanding of the international system of nuclear cooperation and the activities of the IAEA, destined to play role of the world‘s leading forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear technologies. Using examples of cooperation in different fields, it will be shown how results of international cooperation and resources of knowledge obtained from that programmes can be used in the practical activities of young specialists.