The Nuclear Education, Skills and Technology (NEST) Framework was launched by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) in partnership with its member countries to help address important gaps in nuclear skills capacity building, knowledge transfer and technical innovation. It aims to maintain and build technical and non-technical skills through multinational research and training projects for promising students and young professionals, known as NEST Fellows.   

The NEA High-Level Group on Stakeholder Engagement, Trust, Transparency and Social Sciences (HLG-SET) was established to engage at the senior policy level in order to cultivate a deeper understanding of the relations between the nuclear sector and society and to develop appropriate transparent mechanisms to foster communication, public engagement and trust building between the public and the nuclear sector. A key objective of the HLG-SET is to contribute to the development of effective stakeholder engagement practices within the nuclear sector by leveraging collective expertise and fostering collaboration with academia, civil society organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and others to integrate the cross-cutting perspectives of social sciences into its initiatives.  

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is the European Commission's in-house scientific service, providing independent evidence to support European Union (EU) policymaking. While it possesses longstanding nuclear expertise, the JRC's scientific competencies span numerous disciplines including nuclear safety, safeguards, security, waste management and medical applications. The JRC operates highly specialised infrastructure for this purpose which it also makes available to external users. Its nuclear education and training initiatives are a key discipline, designed to sustain and develop the EU's nuclear capabilities. These programmes target a diverse audience, from students and young professionals to national officers and technical experts across the EU, international organisations, and third countries. 

NEST and HLG-SET, along with JRC, are co-organising the NextGen Nuclear Leaders Summer School, a week-long school on non-technical skills in July 2026. The school will offer lectures and interactive sessions on topics such as leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement, all of which are considered essential for future managers and leaders in the nuclear sector. It will teach participants to develop a holistic view on the issue of nuclear energy, with introductory sessions from experts in the fields of nuclear law, policy, social sciences and ethics. 

The programme will also include a group case study exercise to be developed over the week, bringing together students and young professionals from different countries and academic backgrounds to work together in multinational teams. In addition, it will comprise a site visit to nuclear research laboratories to give participants practical insight into the sector. Finally, the school will give participants a unique opportunity to interact with young professionals and international mentors to build professional networks.  

All sessions will be conducted in English. The outline programme can be found below and a draft agenda can be downloaded here. Please note this agenda is subject to changes. The final agenda will be released in due course. 

Eligibility

The interdisciplinary event aims to bring together young talent in the nuclear field who demonstrate a strong interest in leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement.

The school is open to NEST Fellows (i.e. individuals that have already been selected to complete a NEST Fellowship) as well as current students and young professionals affiliated with organisations located in a NEST member country. Prior knowledge of nuclear energy is required, but with preferably no more than two years working in the sector. 

Funding for travel and accommodation will be provided for NEST Fellows. Participants who are not NEST Fellows will be responsible for covering their own travel and accommodation expenses.

How to apply

Applicants should prepare a written application pack in English with the following:

• A copy of their CV;
• A short statement of motivation for participation in the Summer School (1-2 pages maximum);
• For NEST Fellows: NEST Fellowship information (NEST Fellowship selected for or completed, including dates);
• A completed and signed consent form for publication of multimedia materials 

The compiled document should be sent in a single pdf file to nest@oecd-nea.org with the name of the file as: “familyname_NEST_SummerSchool_2026.pdf”

The deadline for applications has been extended to 9 February 2026. A panel of experts will review all applications and select up to 50 participants to join the school.