Conveying Competence in Nuclear Engineering

As the first building block of the KIT-School of Energy, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and AREVA NP GmbH are setting up the "AREVA Nuclear Professional School" in Karlsruhe. The aim is to provide advanced training for young engineers and natural scientists to make them experts in all fields of nuclear engineering.

The contract on the foundation of the AREVA Nuclear Professional School was signed today by Ulrich Gräber, Managing Director of AREVA NP GmbH, Professor Horst Hippler, Rector of the University of Karlsruhe, and Dr. Peter Fritz, Member of the Executive Board for Energy and Innovation at the Karlsruhe Research Center. "The AREVA Nuclear Professional School enables the KIT to put nuclear engineering training on an even broader basis and to train young scientists and engineers in a field of research that offers excellent career opportunities," explains an enthusiastic Peter Fritz. Special courses in the fields of nuclear sciences and engineering offered at the KIT in conjunction with industrial experience gained at AREVA NP are ideal prerequisites for cutting-edge research. The new school also intends to promote international exchange between young researchers in the field of nuclear engineering. "For AREVA in Germany, the foundation of the AREVA Nuclear Professional School is an important strategic step. It helps us to maintain outstanding nuclear engineering skills in Germany and to promote highquality training," said Ulrich Gräber. The demand for skilled staff is tremendous. AREVA will be taking on more than 800 new recruits in Germany this year alone.

The school offers on the one hand themed courses that go into depth on specific subjects. But it also enables young engineers and natural scientists to take part in a two-year research and development program in various fields such as reactor physics, thermohydraulics or materials technology to acquire specialist know-how. In addition, a three-year program provides an opportunity to go on to

study for a doctorate. Participating AREVA employees will spend most of their time at the KIT for the duration their programs. Interested external postgraduates can also take advantage of the courses offered by the AREVA Nuclear Professional School. The cost to AREVA of setting up the AREVA Nuclear Professionals School runs into six figures.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in profile:

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is one of the leading energy research institutions in Europe: The KIT Energy Center links fundamental research with applied research into all energy resources for industry, households, services, and mobility. Competences in engineering and science, but also in economics, the humanities, and social sciences as well as law, result in a holistic assessment of the entire energy cycle, including conversion processes and energy efficiency. Activities of the KIT Energy Center are organized in seven topics: Energy conversion, renewable energies, energy storage and distribution, efficient energy use, fusion technology, nuclear energy and safety, and energy systems analysis.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is the merger of the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, member of the Helmholtz Association, and the Universitaet Karlsruhe. This merger will give rise to an institution of internationally excellent research and teaching in natural engineering sciences. In total, the KIT has 8,000 employees and an annual budget of 700 million Euros. The KIT focuses on the knowledge triangle of research – teaching – innovation. It sets new standards in the promotion of young scientists and attracts top scientists from all over the world. Moreover, KIT is a leading innovation partner of industry.

AREVA NP in profile:

Within the AREVA Group, AREVA NP is the market leader in the design and erection of nuclear power plants and research reactors, and in modernization, maintenance and repair of these facilities, in the design and supply of instrumentation and control systems and electrical systems, and in heavy component manufacture, and the supply of fuel assemblies for many reactor designs. Operating from locations in France, Germany and the U.S., AREVA NP is active throughout the world with around 18,000 employees. In 2007, its annual revenues totaled € 3.2 billion euros. In Germany alone, the company employs a workforce of 4,600 people at five locations. AREVA's corporate strategy is geared towards pursuing the ideal of sustainable development.

More information: AREVA NP

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