Sweden

The Swedish nuclear industry is - like in many countries - in a state of rejuvenation. During the coming ten years, 6000 new staff will be employed, which in volume corresponds to the entire present industry. These numbers are based on retirements (easy to estimate), increased needs due to new-build, and to increased mobility of the new staff to be employed (more difficult to estimate). Until now, employment in nuclear power have often lasted very long. We anticipate, however, that the young people that will be recruited will be less prone to stay at the same place for long. Until now, Sweden has never had a dedicated bachelor level nuclear engineering programme. This will, however, change. A new programme will start at Uppsala University in autumn 2010. An existing 3-year bachelor-level mechanics engineering education programme will get a third-year specialization in nuclear engineering. This specialization has been designed to allow students from any technical college or university in Sweden with mechanical or electric engineering in the curriculum. The studies will be in Swedish. Industry is involved both as sponsors and as contributors. The industry educational company (KSU) is closely involved, e.g. with simulator training. The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, has offered an international MSc in nuclear engineering since 2008. The programme has attracted 10-15 students per year. In addition, students at other programmes participate in some courses, resulting in about 25 students in an average course. Chalmers Institute of Technology, Gothenburg, has started a new nuclear engineering MSc programme in autumn 2009. The programme has equal shares of reactor physics/technology and nuclear chemistry, reflecting the competence profile at Chalmers. This special curriculum is highly appreciated by the Ringhals nuclear power plant nearby, that houses three PWRs, and needs staff with combined reactor physics and nuclear chemistry competence. Uppsala University has hitherto had a strategy to include one introductory course on nuclear power in many different educational programmes addressing the industry needs of people a bit further away from the core. However, a nuclear engineering specialization within a general energy systems engineering programme was initiated 2009