Within the framework of the State programme on training of personnel for nuclear power, the Belarusian State University closely cooperates with the National Research Nuclear University ‘MEPhI’. Graduates of the master’s and post-graduate programmes of the MEPhI and its Obninsk Institute of Nuclear Power Energy (OINPE) are now working at the Department of Nuclear Physics of BSU, at the Belarusian NPP and other organizations related to the construction and operation of the first nuclear power plant in Belarus. Whereas graduates of the BSU Physics Department and the International Sakharov Environmental Institute of Belarusian State University (ISEI BSU) study at the master’s and post-graduate courses offered by the NRNU MEPhI. Every year, fourth-year students undertake a practical internship at NRNU MEPhI getting acquainted with issues of ensuring physical protection of nuclear facilities and perform laboratory-based work. At OINPE students attend lectures and engage in lab sessions on nuclear power plant operation and neutron physics. Students of the BSU Physics Department and the ISEI BSU have repeatedly participated in the Olympiads on nuclear reactor physics and in summer schools on neutron physics held by the NRNU MEPhI.
“NRNU MEPhI and BSU are among the founders and active members of the Regional Network for Education and Training in Nuclear Technology (STAR-NET). Students of both universities, along with students from other countries, actively participate in the online course on ‘International nuclear cooperation. Technical aspects’, the beneficiaries of which are all STAR-NET members. Thanks to the contribution of NRNU MEPhI, STAR-NET is one of the most dynamically developing regional educational networks in the field of nuclear technologies that cooperate with the IAEA. It should be noted that NRNU MEPhI and BSU closely cooperate in other various areas of the IAEA activities, in particular within the INSEN and INMA educational programmes”, stated Andrey Timoshchenko, Head of the BSU Nuclear Physics Department, Vice-President of STAR-NET.
According to the Universities’ ranking, compiled by the International information agency ‘Russia Today’, the NRNU MEPhI (Rosatom’s basic university) is recognized as the most demanded engineering University in Russia.
“The ranking of ‘Russia Today’ on demand amongst universities is important for students, applicants and their parents, as well as for universities themselves. Pleasantly NRNU MEPhI took the first place among engineering (technical) universities in this ranking. Our graduates are in high demand on the labour market, primarily in high-tech Russian industries, as well as in the leading foreign scientific and educational centres and companies” — Mikhail Strikhanov, the NRNU MEPhI rector said.
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The Belarusian NPP — is the largest joint Russian-Belarusian project in the field of nuclear energy. The NPP construction is carried out in accordance with the agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on cooperation in construction of nuclear power plant on the territory of the Republic of Belarus on the full responsibility of the General contractor (‘turn-key ready’).
The new generation 3+ project developed in Russia, which fully meets all modern requirements, international standards and recommendation of the IAEA, provides a construction of a two-unit nuclear power plant with a total capacity of up to 2400 MW, with WWER-1200 reactor unit. The General contractor of the construction is JSC EC ‘ASE’.
National Research Nuclear University ‘MEPhI’ is one of the first national research universities in Russia. Currently, NRNU MEPhI is the main higher educational institution in the Russian nuclear industry, specializing in training of engineers, physicists, mathematicians, system engineers — research engineers with profound knowledge of physical and mathematical disciplines combined with serious engineering training.
Belarusian State University (BSU) is the first university established in Belarus in 1921. It is a leading educational and scientific research complex within of the 1.5% of the world’s leading universities. The BSU structure encompasses faculties, educational and scientific research institutes and centres, enterprises and organizations with participation of BSU. Since 2009 the BSU physical and chemical faculties, as well as the ISEI BSU have been training specialists for the nuclear power industry of the Republic of Belarus.