International Conference on Challenges Faced by Technical and Scientific Support Organizations (TSOs) in Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Security - IAEA CN-214

— Strengthening Cooperation and Improving Capabilities —

The International Conference on Challenges Faced by Technical and Scientific Support Organizations (TSOs) in Enhancing Nuclear Safety and Security to be held in Beijing, China, in October 2014 will continue the tradition established by the two preceding conferences on this subject, which were held, respectively, in Tokyo, Japan, in 2010 and in Aix-en-Provence, France, in 2007. Like these earlier conferences, the forthcoming one will play a vital part in the national and international efforts made to ensure the effectiveness of nuclear safety and security regulatory systems and will focus, in particular, on prerequisites and ways for maintaining and strengthening the actions of TSOs in supporting the enhancement of safety and security worldwide.
Because nuclear safety and security are to a great extent scientific in nature, a regulatory body with responsibilities for nuclear facilities and other licensed activities involving radioactive material needs to have permanent access to supporting expertise. The suitable technical and scientific competence can either be provided internally to the regulatory body or through an external entity such as a TSO. The continuous generation of such expertise to be able to provide a competent and timely response to regulatory needs, and the development and maintenance of an appropriate knowledge base and associated tools and services, including training and tutoring services, are the main areas on which the conference will focus.