The development of a national academic programme for the education of the necessary scientists, engineers and other technicians to support techni­cal research would also be expected to be in place as part of the commit­ment to the development of the required national capabilities.

To build new nuclear knowledge it is particularly interesting to partici­pate in R&D projects related to nuclear disciplines, such as nuclear fuel, nuclear materials, management of radioactive waste, nuclear safety or radia­tion protection.

Examples of international R&D platforms are:

• The IAEA International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles (INPRO), established in 2001

• The European Commission within the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013) for nuclear research and training activities

• The European Union Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technological Platform (SNTP)

• The ‘Global Nuclear Energy Partnership’ (GNEP), founded in September 2007

• Generation IV International Forum (GIF), since January 2000.