COOPERATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND THE MOSCOW STATE ENGINEERING PHYSICS INSTITUTE (TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY)TO DEVELOP AN MPC&A GRADUATE PROGRAM

As nuclear material protection, control and accounting (MPC&A) systems are installed and upgraded in nuclear facilities throughout Russia, it becomes increasingly important to develop a base for educating future Russian nuclear physicists and engineers in the technologies and methodologies of MPC&A. Endorsed by the Russia Federation and the United States (US) under the Department of Energy's (DOE) Russia/Newly Independent States (NIS) Nuclear Materials Security Task Force, faculty members at the Moscow State Engineering Physics Institute (Technical University) (MEPhI) are developing an MPC&A curriculum for graduate-level students. Courses are being developed in areas of Physical Protection (PP) and Material, Control and Accounting (MC&A) methodologies. In addition, the educational facilities will be enhanced by the installation of laboratories designed to promote MPC&A methods and provide a \"hands-on\" forum for teachers and students. Plans are in place to provide students with the opportunity to obtain practical work experience during their course work through internships with Russian facilities where MPC&A operations are underway and operational. This paper describes the current status of MPC&A assistance at MEPhI and mutual priorities for future activities.