TheTCOFF-2 Winter School in 2025 is pictured above, featuring students at KIT in Karlsruhe, standing in the COSMOS-H Thermohydraulics experimental facility.
The 13th meeting of the Management Board of the NEA Nuclear Education, Skills and Technology (NEST) Framework was held virtually on 19-20 May 2026. Now in its sixth year, the joint project continues to support nuclear skills development, knowledge transfer and international co-operation in training.
The meeting marked the addition of Sweden as the newest country in the NEST Framework, bringing the total number of participating countries to 15.
Management Board members reviewed progress across all active NEST Projects. Updates covered fellowships and training activities under the following projects: Training Radiological and International Nuclear Security (TRAINS), Advanced remote technology and robotics for decommissioning (ARTERD), Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Thermodynamic Characterisation of Fuel Debris and Fission Products Based on Scenario Analysis of Severe Accident Progression (TCOFF-2), including the selection of new fellows, forthcoming workshops and the continued involvement of participating organisations across NEST member countries.
The Board also discussed upcoming activities and the development of future projects. Members were informed about the launch of the Thermal-Hydraulics Education on Nuclear Safety analysis (THENS) project and reviewed progress on the Radiation Exposure Preparedness for Acute Radiation Syndrome Infection Response (REPAIR) project, including an expanded fellowship structure and the participation of additional organisations. New project ideas presented by the Netherlands also received positive feedback.
The Management Board received updates on other 2026 training activities, including the NextGen Nuclear Leaders Summer School, to be held on 13-17 July 2026 in Karlsruhe, Germany, and the 2026 edition of the International School on Simulation of Nuclear Reactor Systems (SINUS). These activities continue to strengthen both technical and non-technical competencies amongst students and young professionals in the nuclear sector.
The next NEST Management Board meeting will be held in person on 9-10 November 2026 at the NEA offices in Paris, France.
For more information about the NEST Framework, please visit the web page or contact the NEST Secretariat at nest@oecd-nea.org.
