Academic Development

What is more important than creating future leaders in the nuclear industry? Nothing - and the Summer Institute is the programme that takes a group of young, intelligent and highly interested people, who are ready to learn and to take the lead.

2018 Lecturer

Success and innovation is achieved when both men and women are equally involved in education and decision-making processes. The WNU Summer Institute is committed to building the next generation’s nuclear leadership by embracing the values of full participation by men and women alike. I applaud them for this.

Janice Dunn Lee, former IAEA DDG-MT

With over 40 years experience in the nuclear industry, I have seen many organizational and individual development programs but what WNU has done for the nuclear industry is far beyond the expectation and I want to personally thank you.

Amir Shahkarami, ‎Former Senior VP, Exelon Generation, President & CEO CASe Global Partners, Inc

There are three main things, I can bring back to work after the Summer Institute: a broader appreciation for the nuclear industry as a whole, a renewed sense of confidence, and most important an international network of high-level professionals with divers backgrounds and expertise.

2018 Fellow

The Summer Institute gave me the opportunity to become part of the international community of leading international experts.

2018 Fellow

Above all, the key contribution that WNU SI had on me is the respect one earns by being there for other fellows, hence being there for the industry in general. Some of my beliefs in leadership got reinforced during group discussions and listening to the experiences of industry leaders, hence WNU SI becomes a driver for quality. Networking with fellow industry professionals is a lifetime of opportunities, friendship and fun, hence WNU SI forms a pathway for the future.

2016 Fellow

It is an experience of a lifetime. The opportunity to learn and meet giants in the industry is amazing. I cemented friendships with people from all of the globe. It is a special experience that I would recommend to anyone in the industry. I feel honoured to have been part of the 2016 WNU.

2016 Fellow

For sure the participation in SI for me played significant role in my career." […] Afterwards, "I prepared presentations for the country's leadership, in particular, for the President and the Prime Minister. Two years after my participation, we were able to organize short courses during the opening of Expo-2017 in Astana.

2015 Fellow

The SI is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build an international peer network of nuclear professionals from all over the world and from all areas of the nuclear industry.

2011 Fellow

This was a one of a kind experience (…) I grew so much by listening to the lecturers, visiting other sites and by the day to day interactions with people from all over the world.

2015 Fellow

The WNU Summer Institute has changed my outlook for the future, both for my career and personally. Meeting such a diverse mix of people with different academic, professional and cultural backgrounds has taught me a great deal, as well as opening up a world-wide network to support me in my future career.

2010 Fellow

It is the most positive, dynamic, learning experience that you will experience in your life.

2010 Fellow

WNU Summer Institute is a unique experience. The most interesting thing was the face to face with leaders from all over the world and learning from their experience.... This unique experience allows you to discover the real work within a diverse team with people having different styles of leadership. I think this would be a very good exercise for those wishing to work in an international organization.

2017 Fellow

The Network for Nuclear innovations was a great opportunity to dig into subject matter that I had not previously gotten exposed to and offered me the opportunity to lead an international team of fellows with a diverse set of backgrounds, which stretched my management skills and got me to develop in other ways that normal work life would not have offered me.

2018 Fellow

I had the privilege to be part of the Summer Institute since its inception in 2005. In my feeling this is by far the best leadership course in the world for young people, who are going to be our leaders in the next ten to thirty years. This is the cream of the crop and in their early age they have the chance to learn from the top of nuclear leaders from all around the world. And the most important thing is that they bond. There are now 1000 of these fellows!

Alan Waltar, Retired Senior Advisor, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

My impression is that the SI just keeps getting better each year! I think it has worked out even better than originally anticipated. We continue to draw the best and brightest Fellows at about the same rate each year. The SI is a UNIQUE offering that I’m sure will be looked upon by the Fellows as a very significant juncture in their professional development. The friends that they make in the SI will be lasting and meaningful, allowing networking around the globe for their entire lifetime.

Alan Waltar, Retired Senior Advisor, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory