Problems and challenges of teaching nuclear energy physics in a small university

Abstract

Internationally, new (classical) power plants are again being built, and a strong increase in the construction of new plants is expected in the future. In addition, there will soon be a demand for construction of more efficient ones, any of the six so-called Generation IV units, in an increasing number. On the contrary, the education of nuclear energy physics and techniques has stagnated, since little construction has been done over the last decades, and thus there has been little need of this kind of education. The paper presents the situation in Finland, especially the development that has been done over thelast 5 years at Abo Akademi University in Turku, south-western Finland. It shows that it is possible to set up a strong educational programme in nuclear energy and provides some guidelines as how to do it.