The Technical University of Lodz has signed an agreement with the Polish Nuclear Power Company (Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe) regarding the training of personnel for the nuclear power industry. In Poland, following the abandonment of the Żarnowiec Nuclear Power Plant project, education in this field has been largely limited.

According to the announcements of the construction of the first power reactors, the nuclear industry is a sector that, will develop significantly in Poland soon. It will need well-educated human resources, and the university is a place that offers lifelong learning opportunities. “Activities that will initiate our cooperation with Polish Nuclear Power Plants include interdepartmental postgraduate studies in nuclear energy. Their graduates will soon be in great demand”, said Professor Krzysztof Jóźwik, rector of the University of Łódź, when signing the agreement.

Graduates of these studies will participate in the investment process, and then in the operation of the newly established nuclear power plant in Poland.

It is believed that Poland needs human resources in nuclear power, use of nuclear and radiation technologies, radiation safety, material engineering focused on the use of materials in conditions of strong exposure to ionising radiation, safe handling of materials and radioactive waste.

It will undoubtedly take many years to recreate the human resource base to guarantee the effective and safe development of the nuclear power sector. “One of the forms of supporting the process of creating these human resources base may be postgraduate studies addressed to engineering, management and managerial staff of the energy sector and the future nuclear sector”, convinces Dr Piotr Szajerski from the Interdepartmental Institute of Radiation Technology, who initiated the establishment of postgraduate studies at the University of Łódź.

Adrian Andrzejewski