International

Nuclear Security Culture Programme

The UK’s Nuclear Security Culture Programme (NSCP) works internationally to strengthen the security of nuclear materials and other sensitive assets, reducing the possibility of nuclear terrorism and other risks.

It delivers activities focused on strengthening the human factor within nuclear security systems by producing and disseminating new research, education and training activities and providing direct support for new security initiatives launched within government and industry.

Established in 2014 as a new strand of the UK’s Global Nuclear Security Programme (GNSP), the NSCP is managed by the Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and has been implemented by King’s College London since its inception. The programme is delivered in an academia-industry consortium with KCL working closely with International Nuclear Services (INS) and Amport Risk Ltd. International activities are developed with local partners and tailored for different audiences.

External Advisory Board: Ambassador (ret.) Laura S. H. Holgate, Nuclear Threat Initiative; Marco Marzo, Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Material; Tim Andrews, International Atomic Energy Agency (retired).

Aims

Improve the awareness and understanding of the full range of threats to nuclear assets and how they manifest in different operational environments
Support governments, regulators and industry around the world in strengthening the implementation of nuclear security, drawing on the UK and other countries’ experiences
Extract and share practical lessons learnt in establishing programmes to strengthen and assess nuclear security culture
Collaborate with relevant international organisations, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to support new research and the development of nuclear security guidance, educational resources and effective security practices

Impact

Over the last six years, the programme has delivered more than 40 activities for an international audience, delivered online, in the UK and internationally in partnership with relevant organisations in ten countries. It has engaged thousands of government, regulator and industry practitioners working on nuclear security issues.

International policy

Participants have sought to inform and influence international nuclear security debates and policies by developing recommendations and participating in major international conferences on emergent nuclear security issues.

A Nuclear Security Briefing Book authored for the Nuclear Security Summits (NSS), which served as a ‘one-stop nuclear security reference guide’ informing discussions. Recently updated and presented at the 2020 International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS).
A virtual panel on ‘Nuclear Security During Times of Crisis’ at the upcoming IAEA General Conference in September 2020.
NSCP members also regularly contribute to IAEA technical and consultative meetings and the review and development of new guidance.

Industry practice

The programme has influenced industry practice by examining how nuclear security can be effectively implemented in different operational environments. It provides bespoke support for individual organisations’ efforts to enhance nuclear security culture.

Participants have strengthened nuclear security in their local context by improving physical protection measures; aligning national regulations to international standards; and developing new internal education and training programmes.

A series of international workshops for practitioners on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials, Radiological Source Security and Nuclear Security in Academic and Research Institutes.
Specialised workshops and training courses on nuclear security culture and its assessment. These are underpinned by the experience of UK practitioners in planning and implementing nuclear security as well as research, conducted by CSSS staff, into real-life cases where insiders and external adversaries have circumvented nuclear security systems.
Supporting assessment of nuclear security culture at the Triga Puspati Reactor in Malaysia.