Implementation of IAEA INFCIRC/901: Promoting Certification, Quality Management and Sustainability for Nuclear Security Training

The international community has established a series of national and regional centres for nuclear security, most of which have joined the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Nuclear Security Training and Support Centres (NSSC) Network. As many NSSCs were developed during the Nuclear Security Summit process, continued political commitment to these centres as well as provision of sufficient technical, human and financial resources for their on-going maintenance is critical. However, these Centres tend to have a wide variety of objectives, structures and methods of delivery for education and training programmes; many are unaware of internationally accepted standards on how they could operate. Parallel to the development of NSSCs, a number of States, private foundations, and the nuclear industry have supported the development of the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) Academy, an initiative to provide practitioners involved in nuclear security with opportunities to earn certification in Nuclear Security Management. Underpinning the programme is certification in accordance with the ISO 9001 (Management Systems) and ISO 29990 (Learning Services) quality management standards. The paper recommends that NSSCs follow a similar model, in which their participants receive an evaluation leading to qualification or certification, and using professional standards developed by a recognised, respected certifying body rather than developing their own ad hoc arrangements, which may ultimately be unsustainable. WINS has sought political and industry commitments to expand its Academy initiative, and these efforts were recognised at the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit in a Joint Statement on Certified Training for Nuclear Security Management led by Canada and the United Kingdom. This Joint Statement, signed by 13 States, was subsequently published as IAEA Information Circular 901, and commits signatory States to support the development of international certification through advocacy, peer review support, contributions or other means necessary. Other States are being encouraged to join the INFCIRC. (author)