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On March 24, 2026, the I2EN Convention was held, a landmark event for the nuclear community, bringing together nearly 75 participants: I2EN members, partners and industry experts. Together, they explored developments in the institute’s activities, while sharing experiences and new ideas to consolidate France’s position in the field of nuclear skills training.
Opening by Vincent Berger
Vincent Berger, French High Commissioner for Atomic Energy and Chairman of I2EN, opened the day by highlighting a radical shift: in just four years, France has entered a new nuclear era. This renewal is reflected in a far-reaching industrial ambition that combines the launch of a new program of six EPR2 reactors and the development of agile solutions, whether in SMRs with NUWARD, or in innovation driven by start-ups such as Calogena and Jimmy for process heat.
” True sovereignty lies in the ability to hold out over the long term. This resilience is based on a robust industry and, in the long term, on the closure of the fuel cycle thanks to Fast Neutron Reactors (FNR), which will significantly free us from our dependence on natural uranium. reminds us. ” This strategy is part of a global dynamic in which French know-how, from engineering to control and command, including structural projects such as Sizewell C, strengthens the credibility of our export supply chain.
Ultimately, this ambition can only be achieved if we have sufficient skills. Vincent Berger concluded with a reminder of the central role played by I2EN, which acts as a link between industry needs and training, mobilizing ministries, institutions and industry to train the necessary talent.
How can we teach a living safety culture that goes beyond regulations?
How can we foster a safety culture based on questioning, individual responsibility and feedback, over and above mere mastery of regulatory requirements? This question framed a debate moderated by Jan van der Lee, bringing together Valérie Lagrange (EDF/DPN, photo), Evelyne Rouby (Université Côte d’Azur/SKEMA), Jean-Paul Daubard (ASNR), Jérôme Eymery (Orano) and Erik Dagorn (Bureau Véritas).
Discussions highlighted the importance of anchoring a proactive, shared attitude from initial training onwards, and then throughout a person’s career. Among the avenues put forward: adapting curricula and training systems to integrate these aspects, bringing academic and industrial players closer together on a long-term basis to facilitate mutual understanding of their respective needs, and setting up environments where safety is translated into daily practice.
Speakers stressed the need for shared responsibility and a common culture, based on doubt, transparency, mutual support, risk awareness and shared perceptions and values. Dedicated training courses exist, from trainers to managers, with a common foundation of safety culture, but the individual commitment of each player remains the determining factor.
Building, assessing and recognizing excellence
Moderated by Pierre Eymond, Chairman of the I2EN Committee of Independent Experts, the second round table was devoted to the I2EN label. Above all, it highlighted the work of the Committee of Experts. Discussions revolved around the evaluation process: criteria, procedure, consideration of industrial needs, international openness, and the contribution of an independent viewpoint provided by academic, industrial and institutional experts.
Several I2EN experts gave their views: Noëlle Laneyrie (EDF) for industry, Gérard Cote for academia, and Frédéric Plas for both industry and international perspectives. Two training managers, Jing Dai (MNE/NPO) and Abdul Abdelouas (IMT Atlantique), also took part to illustrate in concrete terms what a labeling process means for a program.
The speakers reminded us that excellence is more than just academic performance. It is also measured by the integration of safety requirements and safety culture, the strength of the training-industry link, the ability to take a systems approach to the field, international openness, and the training of profiles capable of co-constructing tomorrow’s nuclear industry. The Expert Committee was presented as a safeguard against self-declaration, and as the main factor in giving credibility to the label, via a structured and recognized assessment.
Critical workshops
The afternoon of the I2EN Convention was devoted to a series of workshops, designed as a participative exercise to generate operational proposals around four key themes for nuclear training.
The first workshop focused on the ” internship puzzle “, identified as a critical link in the graduation and employability process. Participants described a recurring shortage of internships, out of step with the industry’s recruitment needs: difficulties for international students in obtaining an internship in France, limited access for French students to internships abroad, and insufficient hosting capacity on the part of industry and research organizations, often hampered by supervisory, administrative or legal constraints. I2EN’s stated aim is twofold: to guarantee an internship for every Master’s student in France, and to facilitate international internships for French students.
The second workshop addressed the standardization of excellence to support international mobility and employability. While the I2EN label is gaining in visibility, discussions highlighted the absence of a harmonized European – and even more worldwide – reference framework for recognizing the quality of nuclear training. This heterogeneity hinders mobility and complicates the sharing of common standards, particularly in sensitive areas such as safety. The hypothesis under discussion is to evolve the label, initially national, towards a broader reference base.
The third workshop focused on theattractiveness of French courses to foreign students, against a backdrop of increasing competition. Discussions highlighted a number of factors: language of instruction, clarity of pathways, recognition of diplomas, job prospects, quality of welcome, but also the question of retention and integration, beyond the initial attraction. The role of I2EN was questioned: how to move from promotion to a structured collective strategy.
Finally, the fourth workshop dealt with the coordination of international partnerships. Faced with a global demand for skills, participants pointed to actions that are still too dispersed or redundant, and called for more sustainable partnerships, linking the strategic, academic and industrial levels within a coherent framework.
In each workshop, the groups were invited to go beyond the diagnosis to identify the obstacles (organizational, regulatory, financial), propose levers that could be activated by I2EN and its network, and clarify the role of the players. The rich feedback received will feed into the I2EN 2026 action plan.
Award of the I2EN Prize
The I2EN Prize is an annual honorary award that celebrates the academic excellence and international commitment of students who have successfully completed an I2EN-certified course.
Through these awards, I2EN promotes the international influence of the French nuclear industry and its training courses, while enhancing their attractiveness to talent both in France and abroad.
Always awarded at the Annual Convention, these prizes are awarded to students selected by their course leaders, then validated by the I2EN Committee of Experts, on the basis of demanding criteria of excellence and international openness.
This year, five students received awards:
- Sophia Alleau, generalist nuclear engineering degree, “DEMIN” course, Development and Management of Nuclear Installations, at IMT Atlantique.
- Mathias Boulanger, trained as an engineer specializing in “Atomic Engineering” at the Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires.
- Joséphine Hajj, Master’s degree in “Physics of Energy and Energy Transition”, University of Toulouse
- Edoardo Gilardi Durando, Master “MNE – Nuclear Reactor Physics and Engineering”, Institut Polytechnique de Paris – ENSTA – INSTN
- Sidonie Duvivier, Master’s degree in “MNE – Nuclear Fuel Cycle”, Université PSL – Chimie ParisTech.
The I2EN Prize was presented by Vincent Berger, High Commissioner for Atomic Energy and Chairman of I2EN. Congratulations to all the winners!