Remote Safeguards Technical Trainings Under The Pandemic Constraints

The Nuclear Security Unit of the Department of Nuclear Security and safeguards of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission is delivering on a regular basis technical trainings for EURATOM inspectors. They include hands-on the seals, containment verifications as well as non-destructive techniques such as: - Uranium and plutonium isotopic verifications with gamma-ray spectrometry, - Passive neutron assay, - JRC ultrasonic seals for underwater and dry storage, - Laser Mapping for Containment Verification (LMCV), - 3D laser based verification system. DIV/BTC verification of Encapsulation Plants and Geological Repositories (EPGR). The programs of these specialized trainings include theoretical refreshers of the nuclear material subject to safeguards, hands on instruments and material, practices of procedures and methods used by the inspectors, practical exercises and quizzes. In 2020, while most of these trainings were cancelled due to the pandemic, three could still be organised. The first training took place in person prior to the pandemic (early January) whereas the two others were organised remotely in the second semester. This paper will report, on one hand, the first experience gained on remote trainings on both nuclear material isotopic (uranium enrichment and plutonium isotopic composition verifications) and DIV/BTC verification of EPGR and, on the other hand, how the lessons learned in 2020 are examined/addressed for 2021 sessions. This paper is also meant to share best practices for online learning and show how important is the setting-up of the learning objectives of a remote training with respect to in-person trainings.