Implementation and Expansion of the Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII)

To further achieve their respective program goals amidst the growing Middle East regional interest in nuclear energy, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA) Office of Nonproliferation and International Security (NA-24/NA-241) and the Department of State’s (DOS) Partnership for Nuclear Security (PNS) support a professional development institute that combines education, research, and technical capabilities to increase regional intellectual capacity in nuclear energy safety, safeguards and security. As implementers, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the Nuclear Security Science and Policy Institute (NSSPI) at Texas A&M University have partnered with Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research to develop and operate the Gulf Nuclear Energy Infrastructure Institute (GNEII) at Khalifa University campus in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Expanding on the success of the 2011 Nuclear Energy Fundamentals Pilot Course, GNEII has undertaken an aggressive expansion plan. In addition to expanding the Fundamentals Course – both in quantity and quality – GNEII has increased its regional presence, named an institute manager, codified its research framework, and established a timeline for completing its “3S” laboratory in collaboration with Khalifa University. This paper will briefly review the history and origins, structure, and goals of the institute. The paper will also provide a detailed description of GNEII’s expansion from its humble beginnings of the 2011 Fundamentals Course to its emergence as a successful regional institute.