On 28th January Professor Tatsuya Okubo, Dean of School of Engineering, University of Tokyo and Professor Krzysztof Kurek, Director General of National Centre for Nuclear Research have signed an agreement on academic exchange between institutions they represent. The agreement was signed during Polish-Japanese seminar on high temperature reactor technology, which was held in Warsaw. The seminar was organized together by NCBJ and Japan Atomic Energy Agency in collaboration with Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport, Science and Technology (MEXT) and Polish Ministry of Energy.
The agreement, signed for the period of five years, provides for exchange of scientists, students and administrative staff, collaborative research, organization of lectures and symposiums, as well as exchange of scientific information. „NCBJ is trying to connect with all leading research institutions in Europe, America and Asia” – says Director Kurek. „This undoubtedly includes our partners in Tokyo, which whom we signed an agreement today. We are counting on our collaboration to yield tangible benefits to both sides, just like with our other international partners. We wish to benefit from the Japanese experience in teaching our PhD students. We are also looking forward to conducting research together utilizing, among other things, Japanese infrastructure, as well as unique possibilities provided by research reactor Maria, working in NCBJ.” NCBJ’s cooperation with Japanese research institutions look very promising. „In a few months we are expecting to launch a cooperative research programme with Japan Atomic Energy Agency and Chiyoda Technol Corporation” – informs Mgr Inż. Janusz Jaroszewicz, Deputy Director of NCBJ Nuclear Facilities Operation Department. „As a pilot, Japanese type JMTR thermostatic probe for material research will be installed inside the Maria reactor. We also have plans of further developing this programme.”
JAEA is one of the partners in Euratom project Gemini+. „The international consortium under NCBJ’s leadership won the Euratom competition for project preparing for implementation of small modular reactors (SMR) in Europe.” – informs Professor Grzegorz Wrochna, NCBJ Director’s Representative for International Cooperation, organizer of the seminar in Warsaw. „The emerging concept project of applying small reactor as a source of industrial process heat is confronted with nuclear security regulations in different countries. We seek the best technological meeting the requirements of those regulations and providing the recipients of heat with optimal working parameters. Japanese experience with the test HTTR reactor, which is being prepared for its connection to hydrogen production line are invaluable in this case.”
The seminar, which is being held in Ministry of Energy, will last for two days. The guests will also take a trip to the Institute in Świerk. The Japanese delegation is composed of, among other people, authorities of Oarai city, where Japanese institute operating HTTR reactor is located. On Tuesday 29th January a partnership agreement between Oarai and Otwock, where NCBJ is located, will be signed.
Additional information
School of Engineering of University of Tokyo consists of 18 departments, 2 connected research facilities and 6 associated institutions. It educates around 2000 MSc students and around 1000 PhD students. The research matter of the School is very broad and encompasses such topics as, for example: security of nuclear reactors, radiation sources, its detection and measurements, advanced modelling and simulations, research of materials designed for working in extreme conditions.