Aware of and determined to address the growing need for radiation protection, 20 Member States in the Latin American and Caribbean region launched a technical cooperation project in 2014 to strengthen national infrastructure for end-users to comply with radiological protection requirements. This TC project1 aims to address these growing needs using a regional approach which focuses on capacity building through training courses and workshops, regional coordination and experience sharing, fellowships, scientific visits and the procurement of essential, standard equipment.
As part of the project, participating Member States met in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 7 to 10 April 2015, to analyse the status of national strategies for education and training in radiation protection in the region. Seventeen participants from regulatory bodies, research centres, Ministries of Energy, and Ministries of Health from sixteen Member States (Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru) are taking part in the meeting, hosted by the Argentina Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
"Building a legitimate space for nuclear knowledge creation, which responds to the needs of our countries in the industrial, medical, energy, and other fields, is critical today," expressed Dr Diego Hurtado, President of the Argentina Nuclear Regulatory Authority (ARN). He went on to stress that "regulatory authorities have a responsibility to promote radiation protection and nuclear safety culture; and that cannot exist without a system of dynamic, renewed, quality education".
Fifty percent of countries in the region have made laudable progress towards the goal of a national strategy for education and training on radiation protection. "A coherent national strategy for education and training on radiation protection necessitates a sequenced and thorough process of identification of requirements, needs, and gaps", explained Mr. Miguel Prendes, IAEA Nuclear Safety Department. The meeting provided a space for sharing experiences about this process, and to identify any remaining stumbling blocks and common ways to overcome them.
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