The European Nuclear Education Network: 20 years of service to the nuclear fission community

The European Nuclear Engineering Network Association (ENEN), later named European Nuclear Education Network, was created 20 years ago after concerns had been expressed by the nuclear industrial sector about the recruitment of qualified workforce. Networking between European universities and research centers appeared as a tool to attract more students in nuclear engineering by offering them various harmonized curricula and enhanced learning opportunities in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA). This was achieved by developing new programs in areas such as radiochemistry, radiation protection, nuclear safety engineering, geological disposal and radioactive waste management, and by offering important mobility opportunities for engineering education and training. Through its successive Framework Programs, the European Commission supplied an important financial support to ENEN projects: besides the mobility actions, around 40 thematic projects enabled to develop new products such as well-coordinated programs, learning platforms, and distance learning courses. The paper concludes with suggestions for the future. A suggested area for new inter-university co-operations is the strengthening of the academic programs in the field of the global energy approach for the benefit of decarbonization. This would involve courses on technical, economic and environmental aspects of the energy mix.