Getting nuclear technology transferred beyond the institutes - the Australian experience

Australia has had more than 20 years of experience in the RCA Programme with the support of technology transfer projects designed to provide the Member States with further knowledge and skills in the applications of nuclear techniques to their sustainable development. Up to 1997, more than A$3 million has been provided in direct extra budgetary support to a wide ranging programme, backed with a further significant amount of in kind support. The design of these projects has been focused on taking the technologies to the appropriate end users and the results have shown that there has been substantial success in attracting desired participation from senior people outside of the National Nuclear Research Institutes (NNRIs). They now form a group of ambassadors in the wider community, able to assist in the promotion and the introduction of these technologies to particular sectors. This outside group also assists in the development of back stopping capabilities in the NNRIs. (author)