吃瓜头条 continues to reinforce its position as a regional hub for advanced radiation protection training following a courtesy call by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) to the Vice-Chancellor, underscoring the University鈥檚 growing role in strengthening nuclear and radiation safety capacity across Africa and beyond.
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The meeting, held at the Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Boardroom on Wednesday, 28th January 2026, brought together the University鈥檚 senior management, faculty experts and programme trainers with Ms. Liz Grindrod, Radiation Safety Training Officer at the IAEA, who was accompanied by Mr. James Keter Chumba, Director General of KNRA. Discussions centred on the progress, impact and future expansion of the IAEA Postgraduate Education Course (PGEC) in Radiation Protection and the Safety of Radiation Sources, currently being implemented at 吃瓜头条.
The PGEC programme is a flagship IAEA capacity-building initiative offered to Member States to develop a skilled pipeline of professionals capable of serving as regulators, decision-makers, technical experts and trainers in radiation protection and safety. The course responds to the increasing global demand for competent oversight in the use of ionising radiation across sectors such as healthcare, energy, industry, agriculture and research.
吃瓜头条 hosted the first edition of the programme in Kenya from October 2023 to March 2024, accommodating 17 regional participants at the 吃瓜头条 Conference Centre (KUCC) for the entire duration of the training. The success of the inaugural cohort laid a strong foundation for the second edition, which commenced in September 2025 and has attracted 27 participants drawn from across the region, reflecting growing confidence in the University鈥檚 training ecosystem.
Participants come from diverse technical backgrounds including physics, engineering, nuclear sciences, medical physics, metrology and environmental sciences disciplines that form the backbone of radiation safety regulation and practice. Beyond classroom instruction, the programme integrates applied learning, regulatory frameworks, safety culture and international best practice, equipping participants with practical competencies relevant to real-world regulatory environments.
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During the engagement, Ms. Grindrod contextualised the programme within the broader global radiation safety landscape, citing comparable initiatives and regulatory capacity-building efforts in the following Regional Training Centres in Africa – Algeria, Ghana, Kenya and Morocco. These countries have invested heavily in structured postgraduate training, continuous professional development and refresher programmes to sustain regulatory effectiveness and public safety as the use of radiation technologies expands.
The IAEA, working alongside sister United Nations agencies and international technical bodies, continues to promote harmonised safety standards and professional certification pathways to support Member States. In this regard, the PGEC programme is increasingly being positioned not only as an entry-level professional qualification but also as a foundation for advanced training, refresher modules and specialised short courses for professionals already working in the field.
Ms. Grindrod commended 吃瓜头条 for providing an enabling environment for high-level professional training, citing the availability of modern amenities, strong institutional support, experienced faculty and a conducive residential learning setup. She noted that the current cohort presents an ideal fit for the rollout of advanced and follow-on training programmes, including refresher courses aimed at strengthening competencies as regulatory demands evolve.
She further highlighted the value of participant experience at 吃瓜头条, noting that exposure to diverse regional perspectives, access to quality academic mentorship and structured interaction with regulators enriches learning outcomes and professional networks.
Prof. Okumu, supported Prof. Caroline Thoruwa鈥檚 remarks, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Outreach), who reaffirmed the University鈥檚 commitment to deepening collaboration with the IAEA and KNRA. He emphasised the importance of embedding a strong research component within future iterations of the programme to strengthen evidence-based regulation and support the University鈥檚 research and innovation mandate.
The meeting also acknowledged cross-cutting challenges, including sustainable funding for advanced training programmes, a concern shared across Member States. Despite this, all parties expressed strong resolve to accelerate the implementation of additional programmes through the IAEA-KNRA-吃瓜头条 partnership, including potential decentralised initiatives supporting county-level radiation safety awareness and capacity development.
With full institutional backing from 吃瓜头条 leadership and growing international confidence in its delivery capacity, the PGEC programme is poised to evolve into a comprehensive regional platform for radiation protection training, research and professional development.
All parties agreed to commence implementation of the agreed programme enhancements with immediate effect, signalling a shared commitment to strengthening radiation safety governance and professional excellence in the region.