SSTC NRS Develops a Specialized Training Course for Nuclear Engineering Students at Lviv Polytechnic
Experts from the State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety (SSTC NRS), with the support of Argonne National Laboratory and the US Department of State, are implementing a large-scale project to enhance professional education in the nuclear energy sector. Lviv Polytechnic National University has been selected as the pilot platform to launch this advanced training course.
The idea to create the course emerged from the results of regular Summer Schools held at SSTC NRS upon the initiative of Argonne National Laboratory. The Center’s experts noted the high interest of youth in nuclear energy, but at the same time highlighted the varying levels of training in domestic universities, as well as the insufficient attention given to advanced nuclear technologies in existing educational programs. The initiative of SSTC NRS to develop a specialized training course was actively supported by American partners. Following a series of consultations with technical universities in Ukraine, Lviv Polytechnic was chosen as the pilot institution – thanks to the high motivation of both the university’s academic staff and its students.
The primary objective of the course is to elevate the professional proficiency of future nuclear specialists and provide them with a comprehensive “roadmap” of modern global trends in nuclear and radiation safety, which will help them later in choosing their specific career path.
Within the framework of the project, SSTC NRS experts conducted an in-depth analysis of the university’s existing bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The main emphasis was placed on shifting students’ focus away from studying obsolete technologies (for example, RBMK-type reactors that are currently being decommissioned, or fast-neutron reactors that are not utilized in Ukraine); instead, the curriculum offers an introduction to state-of-the-art technologies.
“We want to encourage students, to show them engaging science so that they understand: their major is not just about the direct operation of a reactor. It is about development, new technologies, and it is definitely not a thing of the past,” noted Dmytro Gumenyuk, Project Manager and Head of the Safety Analysis Department at SSTC NRS.
The new discipline is designed for fourth-year bachelor’s students and will initially be taught as a pilot elective course. Upon completion of the pilot phase and potential refinement of the syllabus based on student feedback, the course will be independently taught by lecturers at Lviv Polytechnic, with ongoing support from SSTC NRS.
The project has received positive feedback and support from the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine. Ministry representatives participate in working meetings and provide comprehensive support, including the aim of scaling this experience in the future to introduce similar modern courses at other technical universities across the country.
“Lviv Polytechnic has become the first university in Ukraine to implement this course. We have withstood serious competition and are ready for the responsibility of being pioneers. We are deeply committed to this project, as it prepares a new generation of professionals and enhances the qualifications of our teaching staff,” emphasized Andriy Malyar, Director of the Institute of Power Engineering and Control Systems.