Education and training in radioecology during the EU-COMET project — successes and suggestions for the future

The 2014 Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for Radioecology identified the key challenge in education and training (E&T) as being 'to maintain and develop a skilled workforce in Europe and world-wide, through university candidates and professionals trained within radioecology' since 'scientific research in radioecology and application of that knowledge ... requires scientists and workers with adequate competence and appropriate skills.' Radioecology is a multidisciplinary science and E&T is needed by both students and professionals within research, industry and radiation protection. In order to address these needs, the EU COMET project has developed an E&T web platform and arranged a number of field courses, training courses, PhD and MSc courses, refresher courses and workshops, drawing on the COMET consortium to assemble relevant experts. In addition, COMET has been engaged in discussions with stakeholders for more long-term solutions to maintain the sustainability of radioecology E&T after the end of the project. Despite much progress in some areas, many of the challenges outlined in the 2014 SRA remain, mainly due to the lack of sustainable dedicated funding. Future plans within the ALLIANCE radioecology platform and the CONCERT-European Joint Programme for the Integration of Radiation Protection Research must urgently address this lack of sustainability if radioecological competence is to be maintained in Europe

Detailed plan for the COMET WP3 initial research activity - list of research projects and goals, participants and timing

Detailed plan for the COMET Work Package (WP) 3

The Radioecology Exchange

The Radioecology Exchange (www.radioecology-exchange.org) was created in 2011 under the EU FP7 STAR (STrategy for Allied Radioecology, www.star-radioecology.org) Network of Excellence; (2011-2015). This project aims to integrate radioecological research efforts of European organisations into a sustainable network. In 2013, the EU FP7 COMET (COordination and iMplementation of a pan-European instrumenT for radioecology (2013- 2017); www.comet-radioecology.org) project commenced; COMET will build upon the work initiated under STAR. The Radioecology Exchange has therefore become the web resource for activities from both projects which will ultimately be maintained by the European Radioecology Alliance (ALLIANCE; www.er-alliance.org). The Radioecology Exchange is intended to become a ‘gateway’ for information related to European (and wider) radioecological research

Education and training in radioecology: supply and demand stakeholder workshops

The Strategy for Allied Radioecology (STAR) is a four and a half year Network of Excellence (NoE) funded by the EC. STAR was launched in February 2011 and aims to facilitate the long-term sustainable integration of European radioecological research. The recent renaissance of interest in nuclear power, the Fukushima accident, the application of nuclear techniques in research and industry, radionuclides released from the non-nuclear industries and the scientific challenges related to the whole nuclear fuel cycle, from mining to waste management, all require increased radioecological competence and support from further research. STAR will address a wide spectrum of issues in radioecology, including cutting-edge multidisciplinary research concerned with the environmental transport, fate, and effects of radioactive contaminants on humans and wildlife, access to shared infrastructures and equipment, and education and training courses to recruit young scientists to the discipline. With the help of the larger radioecology community, STAR will develop a Strategic Research Agenda and encourage worldwide collaboration on several focused lines of research. As part of the STAR Mobility, Training and Education work package (WP6) two stakeholder workshops were held (Helsinki, May 2011 and Oslo, November 2011) to give insight into the recruitment needs within radioecology. A vibrant engaging program for long-term training and education within the nuclear and environmental sciences is required not only in order to have a sustainable nuclear energy program, but also for the assessment of possible impacts of any anthropogenic or naturally-occurring sources of ionising radiation. The ultimate goal of STAR’s educational components is to meet the demand for both worker training and student education in an integrated and sustainable way. Such needs are particularly acute in the field of radioecology, as it has been recognized that formal training and education are fragmented, often inadequate, and that mobility is an essential means to support competence sharing. WP6 aims to strengthen and secure a sustainable integrated European training and education platform in radioecology that will attract top-level graduates and maintain a relevant workforce that is in a position to meet future economic and societal needs within nuclear and environmental sciences. WP6 is also responsible for the exchange visits between partners; training courses; MSc, PhD and post-doc programmes