Twelve specialists from five countries were trained in radiation safety at Belarussian State University (BSU).

Representatives of the nuclear industry organizations from Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Azerbaijan are among these specialists. Within six months, retraining based on the A.D. Sakharov International State Ecological Institute of the BSU (ISEI of BSU) was organized for them in the specialty ‘Radiation protection and ensuring the safety of ionizing radiation sources’ with the certification ‘Radiation Safety Specialist’.

The retraining course included an in-depth study of the disciplines ‘Nuclear physics and technology’, ‘Radiation chemistry’, ‘Radiation biology and radiation medicine’. Practical training was devoted to radiometry, spectrometry, dosimetry, personal dosimetry and radiation monitoring of workplaces, dose assessment. The participants studied the features of ensuring radiation safety in situations of planned, emergency, and existing exposure, the basis of physical protection of ionizing radiation sources and preventing their illicit trafficking, and also mastered the methodology of training specialists in this field.

During the training, the students got acquainted with the experience of Belarusian relevant enterprises and organizations. Training process was provided by teachers of the ISEI of BSU, physical and chemical department of BSU, Institute for Nuclear Problems of BSU, specialists of the ministries of Emergency Situations, Health, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, as well as the National Academy of Science.
On 30 June – 1 July 2021 the thesis defense took place and the course participants were awarded by the IAEA certificates and State Belarusian diplomas on retraining in the specialty ‘Radiation protection and ensuring the safety of ionizing radiation sources’.

In the post-Soviet states retraining of specialists in the field of radiation safety is carried out only at the BSU due to the scientific and educational base established in 2001 with a support of the IAEA and the Government of Belarus. Over 20-year period about 200 specialists from Eastern Europe and Central Asia have become postgraduates of ISEI BSU courses. These are the only IAEA courses in Russian. In Greece similar courses are held in English for the countries of Europe and Central Asia. In other regions it is possible to receive training in this area in the official IAEA languages in the training centres of Argentine, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, and Syria.