Opening Statement by Mr Roger Howsley, Executive Director, World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) [International Conference on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities, Vienna (Austria), 13-17 November 2017]

WINS' vision is that all nuclear and other radioactive material and facilities are effectively secured by demonstrably competent professionals, applying best practice to achieve operational excellence. We currently have over 4,100 members in 122 countries and, in the last three years, over 1,000 participants have enrolled in the WINS Academy which provides certified training for personnel with responsibilities for nuclear security. We were delighted last year when the WINS Academy was specifically recognised in the Joint Communication on Certified Training, circulated by Canada with 13 other supporting countries, known as Information Circular 901. The INFCIRC highlights the importance of certification, quality management and Nuclear Security Support Centres to sustain nuclear security competences and build capacity in each country. I encourage you to sign on to this important document and demonstrate your national commitment to certified nuclear security training. During this conference we will be showcasing the work we are doing with both the aviation and nuclear sectors, to identify best practices from each sector in order to strengthen security overall. This is the subject of an extensive research project funded by the MacArthur Foundation. In addition, we will be presenting our work with National Nuclear Security Training and Support Centres, including in Mexico, and providing a more detailed status report on the WINS Academy.