On February 20, 2025, the 3rd NURECAB Workshop was held online. It focused on disseminating information about educational opportunities and professional development in the nuclear field, as well as integrating young specialists into European educational and scientific initiatives. The event was attended by 90 participants from Ukraine and Europe.

Opening of the Event and Presentation of Key Initiatives

The event was opened by Serhii Puhach, the coordinator of the NURECAB project (Euratom NCP for Nuclear Fission, NSC KIPT), who provided an overview of the project and discussed the mobility program for Ukrainian scientists, educators, and innovators in nuclear technologies.

Key Initiatives of European Organizations

Leading European organizations engaged in nuclear education and research were presented during the workshop:

  • Kateryna Pilyuhina, representing the European Nuclear Education Network (ENEN, Belgium), provided information about European educational initiatives within projects in which ENEN participates. She outlined ENEN’s key initiatives for 2025, aimed at developing nuclear education, training specialists, and fostering international cooperation.
  • Jadwiga Nejder (European Nuclear Society, ENS) presented planned scientific and educational events designed to promote nuclear science.
  • Andreas Kozlowski, Chair of ENS-YGN, shared insights into initiatives and events supporting young professionals in the nuclear field.
  • Dario Cruz (FuseNet Association) discussed educational opportunities and activities of the association for 2025 in the field of nuclear fusion.

International Opportunities for Young Scientists under Horizon Europe MSCA and JRC

  • Iryna Shteimiller, representative of the National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) within the Horizon Europe program, spoke about opportunities for internships and professional development.
  • Lyubomyr Nykyruy, Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, presented Joint Research Center (JRC) initiatives of the European Commission.

Ukrainian Nuclear Society’s Efforts to Engage and Develop Young Professionals

  • Danylo Lavrenov, Director of the Information and Analytical Department of JSC “NNEGC “Energoatom” and Executive Secretary of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society (UkrNS), introduced UkrNS initiatives aimed at engaging school students in the exciting world of nuclear physics and energy, as well as supporting young professionals and researchers in their career development.

Discussion and Conclusions

The final stage of the workshop was a discussion session with live interactive polling of participants. Key challenges and potential steps to enhance international cooperation in nuclear education and professional development were discussed.

Survey Results:

  • Primary audience: Bachelor’s and Master’s students who follow European initiatives in nuclear science as needed.
  • Main information sources: Educational institution websites and social media.
  • Key barriers to integration: Difficulty in finding information, application processes, and lack of consultation.
  • Recommendations for improvement:
    • Expanding information channels;
    • Strengthening collaboration between universities and European organizations;
    • Enhancing the work of youth scientific councils;
    • Creating an integrated information network between national data aggregators (National Contact Points, Horizon Europe Office in Ukraine, NFDU) and local communication platforms at faculties and research institutes.

Conclusions

The Third NURECAB Workshop served as an essential platform for informing young Ukrainian researchers about educational and research opportunities provided by European organizations. Participants received practical recommendations on grant opportunities, internships, and pathways for integrating into the international nuclear community.

The event was held as part of the NURECAB project (GA#101173510), which is financially supported by the Euratom Program (Horizon Europe) and funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.

The materials of the workshop can be found at the links below: