Polish Nuclear Power Plants (Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe – PEJ) and Poznan University of Technology (PUT) have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at advancing nuclear expertise, developing nuclear technologies, and conducting research that supports the implementation of Poland's nuclear energy programme. Covering both education and research, the partnership will help build a strong pool of highly qualified professionals for the country's growing nuclear sector.

"Our cooperation with Poznan University of Technology will allow us not only to jointly develop modern educational programmes but also to provide young engineers with practical experience essential for working on nuclear projects. We want the best graduates to see nuclear energy as a promising and stable career path in Poland," said Piotr Piela, Vice-President of the Management Board of Polish Nuclear Power Plants.

Under the agreement, PUT and PEJ will collaborate to enhance education in nuclear engineering and related disciplines while jointly developing and updating curricula to ensure that graduates acquire the knowledge and skills required by the industry. PEJ experts will also contribute to teaching activities by delivering lectures and sharing their technical expertise and practical industry experience.

The partnership will further include the preparation of expert analyses and technical studies by the University for PEJ, the implementation of joint research projects, and cooperation on initiatives supporting the development of technologies essential to Poland's nuclear energy programme.

"Poznan University of Technology has been actively involved in the implementation of the Polish Nuclear Power Programme from the very beginning. In 2023, we initiated cooperation among Poland's leading technical universities to educate the highly qualified workforce needed for the programme. Today, we offer bachelor's, master's, and postgraduate programmes in nuclear engineering while continuously strengthening our expertise by educating young researchers both in Poland and abroad. We are also carrying out projects funded by the Department of Nuclear Energy at the Ministry of Energy. Against this background, signing this cooperation agreement with Polish Nuclear Power Plants is of particular importance," emphasized Professor Teofil Jesionowski, Rector of Poznan University of Technology.

The agreement creates numerous opportunities for PUT students and doctoral candidates, including paid internships, scholarship programmes, study visits to nuclear industry facilities and institutions, and participation in scientific competitions, design contests, and workshops jointly organized by both partners.

PEJ will also support the continued development of the University's bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and postgraduate programmes to ensure they meet the rapidly growing demand for highly qualified specialists in the nuclear energy sector.

The signing of the agreement represents an important milestone for both Poland's nuclear energy programme and Poznan University of Technology. As one of the country's leading technical universities, PUT possesses the educational and research capacity necessary to train specialists who will play a key role in the development of modern nuclear energy. At the same time, Polish Nuclear Power Plants, as the investor responsible for constructing Poland's first nuclear power plant, can provide students and young researchers with unique access to practical knowledge and first-hand experience gained through one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country's history.

As the investor behind Poland's first nuclear power plant, Polish Nuclear Power Plants has consistently invested in building the human capital required for the nuclear industry. To date, the company has established partnerships with 13 leading Polish universities in Gdańsk, Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Gliwice, Łódź, and Lublin. The agreement with Poznan University of Technology marks another important step in strengthening strategic cooperation between the company and Poland's higher education sector.

Photo source: Polish Nuclear Power Plants (PEJ)