A seminar for female scholarship recipients of the IAEA Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme was held at the Moscow branch of the Rosatom Technical Academy. The event was attended by 16 women from various countries studying at Russian universities.
Gulnara Bikkulova, Deputy Director General and Director of the International Initiatives and Partnerships Division at the Rosatom Corporate Academy, spoke about how Rosatom supports the development of leadership qualities among women specialists in the nuclear industry. "The proportion of women in Russia’s nuclear industry exceeds 32%, compared to the global average of 28%. Today, about 120,000 women work in the State Corporation, with nearly a third holding top management positions," Bikkulova noted.
The leadership program The [in] Visible Power Leadership Program helps women working in the nuclear sector fully realize their potential by providing them with modern tools and leadership practices. The pilot project, launched in 2022, proved its effectiveness by increasing trust levels among the first 40 participants by 40%. Today, the program, which has been joined by the ObninskTech Academy, is undergoing development and expansion: in 2025, more than 50 women from 27 countries will take part in an international summer school, Bikkulova added.
Rosatom has built an educational ecosystem that identifies professional inclinations and preferences from an early age, explained Vera Upiryeva, Senior Manager of the Project Office for Education Development and International Cooperation. "Rosatom's educational ecosystem offers partner countries a comprehensive approach to workforce training, including career guidance from school age, close collaboration with colleges and universities in Russia and abroad, and a wide range of lifelong learning programs," Upiryeva noted. She highlighted the Train-the-Trainers program, which is regularly implemented by the Nuclear Education Transfer Project Office of the Moscow branch of the Rosatom Technical Academy as part of Rosatom’s International Cooperation in Nuclear Education project. These courses cover a wide range of topics, from electricity production at large- and small-scale nuclear power plants to the irradiation of medical materials and agricultural products, the development of modern radiopharmaceuticals in research reactors, and the creation of advanced systems and devices for cancer diagnosis and treatment. These courses facilitate the transfer of nuclear education by enabling partner countries to develop competencies in nuclear and radiation technology training.
Participants from various countries shared their personal experiences and impressions of their IAEA internships. They emphasized the importance and effectiveness of such programs in breaking stereotypes about women's capabilities in the nuclear industry while also fostering personal growth and new skill acquisition.
To familiarize international participants with unique technologies ensuring the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power, a technical tour to the Kalininskaya Nuclear Power Plant (a branch of JSC "Rosenergoatom Concern") was organized on March 28. The guests learned about the operation of the plant, visited the industrial site, turbine halls, reactor control rooms, and unit control panels. The delegation also met with the plant's management.
“This is my first visit to a nuclear power plant. I will take home an understanding of how safe and well-protected a nuclear plant is. Moreover, the things I studied and knew theoretically, I have now seen in practice—for example, pumps, generators, and rotors,” said Sara Gaju from Rwanda, a master's student at TPU specializing in Nuclear Safety.
"Working directly at a nuclear power plant is a rather complex issue. One needs a certain level of stress resistance, which I lack. However, I would like to stay in the nuclear energy sector—perhaps as an equipment design engineer for power plants or in software development. I simply want to contribute to the world and be part of technological progress," said Dilfuza Tajibaeva from Uzbekistan, a student at MEPhI specializing in Nuclear Energy and Thermophysics.
"Many aspects of nuclear physics attract me. Firstly, people often say that women do not engage in science. I wanted to prove them wrong. Secondly, my country is developing nuclear energy, and we are building a research reactor. I feel it is my duty to contribute to the development of nuclear energy in my country. I must return and make my contribution," said Raissa Umukundwa from Rwanda, a master's student at TPU specializing in Nuclear Safety.
Reference Information
The Rosatom Technical Academy is an international center for professional training and knowledge exchange for managers and specialists in the nuclear energy and industry sectors. The academy provides professional retraining, personnel certification, and scientific-methodological support to Rosatom organizations in areas such as nuclear safety, state security, operational processes, and supporting functions. The academy is also an IAEA Collaborating Centre in the fields of nuclear knowledge management, human resource development in nuclear energy, nuclear security, non-power nuclear applications, small modular reactors, nuclear medicine, and radiopharmaceuticals.
Rosatom is one of the most active participants in the working group of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme. Over four years, about 40 female students from 17 countries have participated in the program through Rosatom. The [In] Visible Power Leadership Program for women leaders is organized by the Rosatom Corporate Academy. This is one of the first large-scale leadership programs for women not only in the nuclear industry but also in Russia’s corporate sector. The program focuses on developing the leadership potential of first-line female managers in three key areas: introduction to modern leadership concepts, building an individual leadership strategy, and effective team management. It includes an 11-week training module.
Russia continues to develop cooperation with friendly nations, implementing major joint energy projects. Rosatom and its divisions actively participate in this work.