Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The development of alternative energy, especially nuclear energy, is of great importance for some countries given the current depletion of natural energy resources in the world.

Azerbaijan also pays much attention to the development of the alternative energy sector in the country.

Thus, Director of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Institute of Radiation Problems, Adil Garibov, told Trend news agency on July 15 that Azerbaijan should have its own nuclear program.

"We should have our own nuclear program. In case if the neighboring countries have any problems with nuclear energy, we should also be aware of those problems. The country should have its own human resources. Work is being carried out in this sphere at the governmental level. The State Agency on Nuclear and Radiological Activity Regulation under the Ministry of Emergency Situations, which includes the "Isotope" scientific centre, has been created. Now our main goal as an academic institution is to create personnel for these organizations," Garibov said.

Azerbaijan cooperates with South Korea, France, Russia and other countries in the field of nuclear energy. Azerbaijani specialists conduct joint researches with the specialists of these countries in order to study innovations in nuclear technology. However, there are some problems with the realization of the nuclear program in Azerbaijan.

Garibov said education in nuclear physics should be resumed in Azerbaijan. According to him, education in this area should not be limited to lectures.

"In order to improve the quality of education in the field of nuclear physics, it is necessary primarily to increase the level of general education, to train bachelors and masters only in Nuclear Physics," he noted.

Garibov said the teaching of nuclear physics in Azerbaijan and training of personnel are at a low level.

According to Garibov, over the past period, experts working in this field in Azerbaijan have grown old, and there is no new staff. So, the nuclear physics teaching and training are at a very low level, he said.

According to the Institute director, teaching of nuclear physics in Azerbaijan and training of personnel in this area are carried out only at the Institute of Radiation Problems, and the level of instruction does not meet the requirements of the present time.

Garibov said that in order to teach Physics students at Baku State University, they have to be sent to Russia or other relevant organizations under a contract with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Azerbaijan keeps the issues of radiation safety in spotlight. The country is cooperating with international organizations and implementing a number of joint projects in this area.

The project "Strengthening of Radiation Safety Infrastructure and Development of Supporting Services of the Republic of Azerbaijan", which is funded by the EU, was presented on February 15, 2013.

The purpose of the two-year project is to improve observation of the effects of ionized radiation and streamline the energy policy on the control over all types of radiation.