MINA-2008: A renewed approach to mastering nuclear engineering and applications in Spain

CIEMAT is Spain’s Public Research Agency and a recognised centre of excellence renowned for its work in the field of energy and environment. It is also a hotbed for the development of various cutting edge technologies. Since its creation in 1951, education and training in the nuclear field has been a CIEMAT priority. To help it achieve this goal, the Institute for Nuclear Studies was created in 1964 and since its inception a major initiative that was launched was the originally named “Course of Nuclear Engineering.” This course has received considerable acclaim both at home and abroad. Over the years it has adapted its course content and format to fit the evolving national and international nuclear trends.

Inspired by the “nuclear renaissance” and driven on by the challenge of preserving nuclear knowledge and expertise and the bases that support the European Education Area, it was decided that CIEMAT’s nuclear education and training portfolio should adopt a radically new approach. This review project was baptised MINA-2008 (Máster en Ingeniería Nuclear y Aplicaciones). This paper outlines the major characteristics, developmental phases and mechanisms that underpin MINA-2008.

MINA, thanks to a “project driven” approach, intends to build a bridge between university education on the one hand and technical capabilities demanded by today’s nuclear industry and organisations on the other. In short, a training package that provides participants with the real skills needed to fit the demands of the nuclear sector.

Four major design bases support MINA:

• Professional orientation: emphasis is put on familiarisation and training in the latest nuclear engineering methods and technologies currently being applied.

• Entire scope: Masters’ students will be provided with an official academic degree that is recognised by several national universities and, at the same time, will help them gain their first foot on the employment ladder.

• Integration policy: the Spanish nuclear sector (electricity companies, vendors, fuel manufacturers, regulators, the waste management agency, academia and research centres) is deeply involved in all aspects of MINA. Suffice to say that at the top level of MINA, an Advisory Committee of the Masters’ Management Board has been set up at the heart of the Spanish R+D Technological Platform on Fission Nuclear Energy (CEIDEN).

• Excellence in “Mastering:” Contributions from academia, industry and research institutes will be balanced and consistent with accepted experience and expertise in the fields covered by MINA.

According to the agreed schedule, the first MINA “package” will be the course offered in 2008-2009.

L.E. Herranz, J.C. García-Cuesta, S. Falcón, M. Marco
Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas MedioAmbientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT)
Avda. Complutense, 22 28040 Madrid
Tel: 91 346 62 19 Fax: 91 346 62 33
e-mail luisen.herranz@ciemat.es