The Seibersdorf laboratories near Vienna, Austria, now host the newly opened International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Center (NSTDC) dedicated to advancing nuclear security capabilities.

The facility currently offers 23 training courses and workshops that address training needs in the area of physical protection of nuclear and other radioactive material and associated facilities. Courses also cover detection and response to criminal or intentional unauthorized acts involving or directed at nuclear or other radioactive material, associated facilities or associated activities.

Source: IAEA

Hands-on training in the Physical Protection Laboratory will allow trainees to configure, manipulate and test different physical protection components, such as access controls and surveillance cameras. Similarly, the Demonstration Control Centre will serve to train participants on central alarm station operations. It is equipped with multiple workstations that can be configured for alarm monitoring, access control and video monitoring as well as for training on computer security. Demonstration systems and virtual reality environments emulate security systems used at nuclear power plants, research reactors and border crossings.

The NSTDC training program includes a course for countries anticipating in or planning to join the Rays of Hope program. The “Introduction to life cycle security of radioactive material and associated facilities in cancer care” course aims to familiarize participants with key considerations toward ensuring life cycle security and sustainability of radioactive material and associated facilities used for cancer care, including information and computer security aspects of nuclear security.