AFRA Network for Education in Nuclear Science and Technology Dr. Nadir O. Hashim Department of Physics Kenyatta University National Coordinator and Africa Assistant Regional Coordinator – AFRA-NEST

IAEA – AFRA PC Meeting, 24-26 October 2018, NACOSTI Headquarters, , KENYA 1 Outline • Regional Nuclear Education Networks • AFRA-NEST – Introduction – Objectives – Strategies – Functions – Network Structure – Achievements – Roles and Benefits of National Nests – E- Learning – Future Events

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Regional Nuclear Education Networks

3 AFRA - NEST AFRA-NEST was Conceived at the AFRA Ministerial Conference held in Aswan in 2007

The Africa Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research Development and Training related to Science and Technology (AFRA) established the AFRA Network for Education in Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA-NEST) in order to implement AFRA strategy on Human Resource Development (HRD) and Nuclear Knowledge Management (NKM).

4 AFRA – NEST Members

 Algeria   Benin  Morocco   Burundi  Niger   Central African  Senegal Republic  Seychelles  Chad   Congo  South Africa  Democratic  Republic of the  , United Congo Republic of   Tunisia   Tunisia   Kenya   Madagascar  5  Objectives of AFRA – NEST 1 The main objective of AFRA-NEST is to facilitate operation and networking in higher education, training and related research in Nuclear Science (NS&T) in the African Region through: • Sharing of information and materials of nuclear education and training; • Developing harmonized approaches for education in nuclear science and technology in Africa by establishing reference curricula and facilitating mutual recognition of degrees;

6 Objectives of AFRA – NEST 2

• Promoting effective cooperation and sharing of resources and capabilities at national and regional level; • Facilitating the exchange of students, teachers and researchers; • Serving as facilitator for communication between the network member organizations and other regional networks.

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AFRA – NEST Strategy

The strategies for implementing the objectives are • to use ICT for web-based education and training, • recognition of Regional Designated Centres (RDCs) for professional nuclear education in nuclear science and technology, • organization of harmonized and accredited programs at tertiary levels and awarding of fellowships/scholarships to young and brilliant students for teaching and research in the various nuclear disciplines. 8 Functions of AFRA - NEST The main function of the AFRA-NEST is to; • foster sustainable human resource development and nuclear knowledge management to satisfy the needs of African countries with/without higher education in the priority areas of non-power and power applications of nuclear energy. • host the Cyber Learning Platform for Nuclear Education and Training for the AFRA region (Ghana) • AFRA-NEST is to integrate all available higher education capabilities in Africa as well as the industries in nuclear professional associations in synergy with existing IAEA and other regional/international nuclear educational institutions. • AFRA-NEST is also to focus on encouraging senior nuclear professionals to share their experience and knowledge of young generation. 9 AFRA – NEST Priority Areas, Management Topics and Working Groups

10 Proposed AFRA-NEST Network Structure

AFRA-NEST

South Kenya Nigeria Egypt Etc. (KEN-NEST) Africa (e.g. NGN-NEST) (e.g. EGN-NEST) (SAN-NEST)

AFRA-NEST National Coordination 11

AFRA-NEST Achievements  1st General Assembly on Networking Nuclear Education and Training Tanzania26-30 Aug 2013  Cooperative Agreement - ENEN, AFRA-NEST, ANENT & LANENT IAEA HQGC 57, 2013  Installation of CLP4NET hub in Ghana, 2013  CS on Education Capability Assessment and Planning Framework IAEA HQ20-24 Jan 2014  AFRA-NEST Coordinators Seminar Abuja, Nigeria1-5 Dec 2014  AFRA-NEST Working group Workshop on Education Capability Assessment and Planning IAEA HQ1-5 Jun 2015  2nd General Assembly Zambia7-11 Dec 2015  3rd General Assembly Egypt 8-12 April 2018

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AFRA-NEST Achievements Networking and Projects Formulation Knowledge Market Place

AFRA-NEST 1st General Assembly, August 2013, Arusha, Tanzania

rd AFRA-NEST 3 General Assembly, April 2018, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt 13

AFRA-NEST Knowledge Market Place – an opportunity for MS to collaborate and optimize the use of resources

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AFRA-NEST Capabilities

Particle accelerator for ion beam analysis

Ghana Atomic Energy Commission Ghana.

Improvement of crop variety and properties

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AFRA-NEST Capabilities School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences, Ghana DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMMES ( MPHIL. AND PHD.)

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AFRA-NEST Capabilities Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission (TAEC)

HPGe detector for gamma-ray EDXRF system for elemental analysis spectrometry

17 Role of the National NEST a) Participating in the ECAP Process, including development of national benchmarks and a strategy for education capability b) Monitor the sustainability of the nuclear education programmes by conducting an annual national audit of the indicators c) Preparing, distributing and compiling information related to HRD and NKM at national level, including visits to monitor, guide and evaluate progress made at institutional levels. d) Assisting in the identification of crucial needs in HRD and NKM and in the solutions of address them e) Participating in regular meetings to monitor and calibrate progress in the field of HRKD f) Providing information and data about HRD and NKM from the sector he/she represents. g) Participating in drafting questionnaires and reports related to HRD and NKM

18 Benefits of National NESTs

• Widening academic and industrial collaboration, knowledge transfer and outreach; • Facilitating access to nuclear research facilities; • Developing harmonized approaches for education in NS&T in Africa by establishing reference curricula and facilitating recognition of degrees. • Implementation of National NESTs complement the work of the HLSC and AFRA-NEST at the regional level.

19 Benefits of National NESTs • National and regional networking - Si(Li) detector for TXRF and EDXRF – , Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology

20 Benefits of National NESTs • National and regional networking - HPGe detector for gamma-ray spectrometry– University of Nairobi, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology

21 Benefits of National NESTs • National and regional networking – NaI(Tl) detector for gamma-ray spectrometry - Kenyatta University

22 Benefits of National NESTs • National and regional networking – Nuclear reactor simulation – NACOSTI and Kenyatta University

23 Benefits of National NESTs • National and regional networking – Water Cherenkov counter for measurement of cosmic ray muons at Kenyatta University

24 AFRA-NEST Activities - ECAP Educational Capacity Assessment Planning (ECAP) The main purpose of ECAP self assessment is; • To understand existing strengths & development areas to enhance government education and industry interaction and coordination • To help prioritize areas for action in Nuclear Science • To support the implementation of an ECAP Assist Mission

25 AFRA-NEST Activities – E-Learning 2012:

• The IAEA and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) signed agreements in Vienna to support education, training and outreach in the nuclear field, including e-learning capabilities, and to collaborate in promoting nuclear knowledge management in IAEA Member States in the African Region.

• GAEC, through its School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences (SNAS) at the , will serve as a regional hub for the African region to install and operate an e-learning platform. [N. Reguigui] 26 AFRA-NEST Activities – E-Learning 2013:

• Preparatory Meeting for the 1st AFRANEST General Assembly on Networking Nuclear Education and Training

• AFRA Seminar in Ghana on Implementation of E-Learning Platforms for Networking Nuclear education and Training

• Installation of platform and training of Administrators in

Ghana [N. Reguigui] 27

AFRA-NEST Activities – E-Learning Currently not available

[N. Reguigui]

28 AFRA-NEST Activities – E-Learning Regional CLP4NET hub in Ghana is currently down, there is an urgent need for a new hub to host the CLP4NET for use by AFRA-NEST members

29 IAEA – Internet Reactor Laboratory Project Dec. 2015, France – providing 12/2015 African and European countries access to virtual reactor technology

03/2017

March 2017 – Tanzania participates in the project

03/2018 March 2018 – Africa gets first host reactor in Morocco. Students from Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Morocco and South Africa to benefit. Kenyatta University to coordinate the project in Kenya in collaboration with Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board 30 AFRA-NEST Work Plan

• Submit Regional NEST project application to NLO – 15 April 2018 • Request ECAP missions from NLO – end 2018 • Commit to start national NEST – end April 2018 • Formalise Knowledge Marketplace links – August 2018 • IAEA action – Finalise LMS en 2018

31 AFRA-NEST Work Plan

• IAEA with AFRA-NEST working group – AFRA- NEST website online – end 2018 • Local NEST websites - end 2019 (WBS to be defined by working group end May 2018). • Compile database with: Facilities, human resources, equipment, education programmes for each NEST – April 2019. • Develop and standardize a matrix of indicators for success measurement April 2020. 32 Thank You

Dr. Nadir Hashim

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