CEA, Saclay, France

INSTN - National Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology

[Staff]

Group Description

The Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires (INSTN) is an advanced education institution devoted to post-graduate education and professional training in nuclear science and technology. Created within the French Atomic Energy Commission (“Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique”, CEA) in 1956 is placed under the joint supervision of the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Industry.
The INSTN provides students with high scientific qualifications and professional engineers with specialized education in all disciplines related to nuclear energy applications; it also has in charge the coordination of PhD programs across CEA laboratories. Academic courses, mainly intended to graduate students, and professional training courses are designed to put students in direct contact with specialists of each discipline providing up-to-date knowledge and know-how. To this end, the INSTN has an in-house academic and administrative staff of around 110, plus the backing of some 1.300 collaborators from French and foreign Universities, research organizations, hospitals, industry ….
Academic courses cover nuclear engineering, biology, medical specialisation and radiation protection. Every year, around 600 students attend the lectures.

Training courses are training programmes lasting a few days to a few weeks, designed for professional engineers, researchers or qualified technicians. These courses play a dual role, namely:

  • up-dating of knowledge for those who already have a strong background in the field;
  • initiation into a discipline for those who are specialized in other fields.

The INSTN host about 7000 trainees per year in various fields such as  biology, chemistry, radioactivity and radioprotection, nuclear measurements, safety, nuclear fuel cycle, project management, ….
Both, theoretical and experimental approaches has been adopted, with access to the considerable INSTN scientific and teaching resources available such as specialized hands-on laboratories.
Since 1974, the INSTN has been responsible for organising the training of medical doctors, pharmacists and biologists in nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy on a national scale. Furthermore, in partnership with several European countries, the INSTN is recognised by the EANM (European Association of Nuclear Medicine) as a European centre for training in radiopharmacy (since 1999) and nuclear medicine (since 2000).
With a wealth of experience in international collaboration for many years, the INSTN is committed to European advancement, and is helping to form partnerships and build up networks.