Universities of Visegrad 4 and Korea deepen cooperation in nuclear energy

The second forum of rectors, vice-rectors, and experts from universities of the Visegrad Four (V4) countries and the Republic of Korea was jointly organized by the Brno University of Technology and the South Korean university KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS). From November 11 to 12, leading representatives and experts from universities in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland, along with their counterparts from South Korean universities, shared their experiences at the BUT rectorate. The forum highlighted the need for human resources in nuclear energy and emphasized the vital role of technical and scientific (STEM) studies not only for energy but also for the entire national economy of these states.

Throughout the conference, a total of nine universities from V4 countries and seven universities from the Republic of Korea presented their educational and research programs in the field of nuclear energy. From the industry, Joo ho Whang, President of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), which won the contract to complete the Dukovany nuclear power plant blocks, spoke at the meeting. The Czech industry was represented by executives from ČEZ and MIFRE Energy. Other speakers included Young Ki Hong, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Czech Republic; Csaba Marosvári, Deputy State Secretary for Energy Security at Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Tomáš Ehler, Chief Director of the Nuclear Energy and New Technologies Section of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.

The conference, titled “The 2nd V4-ROK University Presidents Forum on Empowering the Next Generation Nuclear Energy,” reflected the anticipated development of nuclear energy in the V4 countries. Participants shared the belief that nuclear energy is an integral part of a future low-carbon energy mix and a path to achieving energy independence, competitiveness, and security. The forum addressed topics such as energy security and independence of national economies, the role and importance of nuclear energy for competitiveness, technological security, and trends in nuclear energy, including discussions on the development of small modular reactors. Environmental issues were also discussed, with a focus on the role of universities in educating experts and conducting research in this area.

The meeting format was initiated by the KINGS university, a leading Korean university dedicated exclusively to nuclear engineering education, which held the first forum last July in Seoul. One of the forum's primary motivations was to address the shortage of professionals, students, and graduates in the technical and scientific fields needed for the energy sector, especially nuclear energy. “The first forum laid a solid foundation for successful multilateral collaboration to promote the development of a skilled workforce in nuclear energy,” said Joo ho Whang, President of KHNP and Chairman of the KINGS Board, at the Brno forum.

KINGS has created a cooperation program with leading universities in the V4 countries, which includes supporting student exchanges and enabling students from V4 countries to study in South Korea and Korean students to study in the V4 countries, including the Czech Republic. BUT actively joined the program in 2019, signing a memorandum of cooperation with KINGS. Under this agreement, BUT students participate in one-semester exchange programs at KINGS. Study opportunities at KINGS are also available through two-year master's programs.

“A significant impetus for holding the forum was undoubtedly the selection of KHNP as the contractor for the construction of new blocks at the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant. In connection with this event, we signed a memorandum in September during the visit of the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, to the Czech Republic, to strengthen cooperation in nuclear education between KINGS and BUT,” said BUT Rector Ladislav Janíček. He also recalled two other memorandums signed with Korean representatives in September, focusing on the development of battery technology and heat transfer.

With the Czech government's decision to complete new blocks at the Dukovany plant and the tender for the contractor finalized, the need for experts in the nuclear field has become even more urgent. “Across Europe, we face the challenge of increasing the number of students and graduates in technical and scientific fields. This conference addresses the question of how to secure human resources for industry. Large investments in nuclear energy or semiconductor technology require a sufficient number of educated people,” said the BUT rector during the conference.

The words of the rector were confirmed by Tomáš Ehler from the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade, who presented an analysis focused on the number of technical experts needed in various specialist fields and stages of the Dukovany plant completion. The estimate speaks of over eight thousand specialists currently missing in the Czech labor market.

In response to the anticipated need for qualified experts for the power plant’s completion, BUT prepared, accredited, and has already started teaching a new follow-up master’s degree program in Nuclear Energy this year. “The program reflects the needs of nuclear energy and is unique in that it involves four faculties at BUT in its teaching, developed in close cooperation with the Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant and other Czech nuclear industry entities. It also includes internships with collaborating companies in the nuclear sector, potentially including opportunities with Korean partners,” explained Rector Janíček during his presentation.

According to Attila Aszodi, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at Budapest University of Technology and Economics, who also served as a nuclear energy representative for the Hungarian government for many years, nuclear energy has tremendous potential. However, it requires reliable technology and adequate human resources. “To tackle these challenges, close cooperation between the government, industry, and universities is essential,” he said, adding, “To increase interest in technical studies and prepare the younger generation for future employment in the nuclear sector, representatives of education ministries, universities, and industry need to engage down to the primary and secondary school levels.”

Another example of deepening collaboration between the V4 countries and the Republic of Korea is the emerging Nuclear Collaboration Centers. A Polish-Korean Nuclear Collaboration Center has been established at the University of Warsaw, and a similar center is set to be created in the Czech Republic soon. Karel Katovský from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication at BUT provided insights into its preparation and plans in the concluding part of the program.

“I would like to thank all university and institutional representatives for their participation and contributions to the program of this forum. I am glad that representatives from all V4 countries accepted the invitation. I believe it was a unique opportunity to share experiences and topics addressed at our universities not only in the field of nuclear energy. I thank you for the fruitful and inspiring discussions. I thank our Korean partners, especially KINGS as the event’s initiator, for the opportunity to hold this forum in Brno,” concluded BUT Rector Ladislav Janíček.

V4-ROK Forum Website



The forum was held as part of the 125th anniversary of BUT.


Source: vut.cz/en

 

---

Responsible person	Ing. et Ing. arch. Jana Němcová
Date of publication	15.11.2024