UKAEA funds fusion training with Edinburgh and York universities

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the University of York and the University of Edinburgh, will invest £7.8 million over the next five years to advance fusion energy research and post-graduate training.

The funding will be distributed through UKAEA’s Fusion Opportunities in Skills, Training, Education and Research (FOSTER) Programme, which aims to develop the next generation of fusion energy specialists.

This investment will create new opportunities across collaborating universities for students to access level 7 (master’s degree) qualifications in fusion and relevant fields, supporting the FOSTER Programme’s mission to build a diverse fusion skills ecosystem.

Nick Walkden, Head of Fusion Skills Operation and Delivery at UKAEA, said:

The UK academic landscape has long been a global leader in fusion education and training at master’s degree level. These new collaborations leverage existing strengths and allow us to build new provision at this level to meet the future demands of the fusion sector as it continues to grow and drive towards delivery of a fusion pilot plant.

The University of York aims to grow its fusion training provision by supporting teaching positions that will deliver new master’s degree programmes. This provision will increase the number of students receiving training in fusion technology and increase research opportunities for undergraduate and PhD students.

The University will provide complementary activities to grow the established Fusion Industry School, and create a new massively open online course (MOOC) that will be available to the public. This will enable people with an interest in fusion to access relevant educational opportunities and discover the potential of working in the UK fusion sector. 

Professor Erik Wagenaars, Director of the York Plasma Institute, said:

Our strengths across fusion and plasma science enable this growth; our inclusive research and teaching culture is key to expanding impact across science, and the emerging engineering and technology that will make fusion happen.

The University of Edinburgh aims to apply its expertise in theoretical physics to the challenge of developing and containing fusion plasmas by creating a new Centre for Plasma Theory, bringing together the School of Mathematics and the School of Physics and Astronomy. The University will also develop a fusion stream within existing MSc programmes.

Scholarships to widen access to fusion training will be made available, helping to remove financial barriers for students from a range of backgrounds. The Centre for Plasma Theory will also be a focal point for cross-discipline training and wider engagement activities, preparing young people for fusion careers and helping to increase the UK’s scientific and industrial capacity. 

Dr Moritz Linkmann, Director of Graduate School in Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh:

Speaking on behalf of both the School of Mathematics and the School of Physics and Astronomy, we are very excited to enter this new collaboration with UKAEA. It will enable us to develop expertise specific to the sector across disciplines that will inspire and be reflected in our teaching and our research.

The FOSTER Programme aims to build a fusion skills ecosystem with international reach that can train, develop and grow the next generation of fusion experts who will deliver fusion energy to the grid. To do this, it looks to address skills gaps, remove barriers to entry and improve training across all levels of education from primary school through to PhD.

Enhancing and expanding level 7 post-graduate provision is one of the key objectives of the programme. The delivery of fusion-specific teaching will continue to grow as more universities collaborate with UKAEA through this and other FOSTER initiatives in the future.