Empowering government leadership: NSC and ASA drive nuclear literacy

In October, NSC partnered with the Australian Submarine Agency (ASA) to advance nuclear literacy at senior levels of government through a bespoke executive program. This was an important next step in the College’s efforts to support AUKUS Pillar 1. 

While earlier AUKUS technical training programs have been conducted in the US, UK or by international experts, this NSC program marked the first Australian designed and delivered initiative, featuring local specialists alongside AUKUS partners now based in Australia.

Senior officials were invited to explore key aspects of the partnership –  from AUKUS’s strategic purpose and governance to law, stewardship, nuclear propulsion science and technology, the nuclear fuel cycle and waste management, operational perspectives from partners, and culture, safety, and social licence. 

As a central pillar of Australia’s defence strategy, AUKUS requires capability-building and understanding across the government. This program demonstrates NSC’s role in strengthening national expertise and offers a model that can be adapted to train other officials, including at state and territory levels.

Participant feedback was resoundingly positive.

 Overall, an excellent programme – hard to imagine how you could have a better range of speakers.

This program, if delivered to relevant stakeholders has the potential to significantly lift AUKUS efforts in Australia.

We’d like to thank all those who participated in the program, the experts, including ASA staff, and the NSC staff who made it happen. In keeping with the Nuclear Mindset, ASA and NSC will continue working together, striving for improvement, to support the delivery of this vital national capability.