Established in 1970 through Decision of Ministers Council, Nuclear Training Centre (CPSDN) assumed the organization of the post university specialization programme entitled “Courses on the Utilization of Radioactive Isotopes” (CUIR), initiated since 1956 by the Institute for Atomic Physics (IFA) in cooperation with the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Bucharest University.

Organized as legal unit under the authority of the State Committee for Nuclear Energy (CSEN), CPSDN has developed training activities for dedicated applications, by categories such as: training courses, qualification and post qualification courses, post secondary school and post university specialization courses, certification and accreditation courses, managers dedicated courses. Training programmes curricula were permanently adjusted both to the technical development of the envisaged fields and to the increased regulatory requirements.

An illustrative example is represented by the programme for the non destructive examination area entitled “Industrial Nondestructive Testing”, which was organized during 1973 – 1989; it has been upgraded in methods programmes, starting with 1980.

In the medical field the initial “Radioisotopes and Radiation Applications in Medicine” programme has been upgraded and several programmes were developed, such as: “Radiation Protection in Radiodiagnostic Practice”, “Protection of Patient and Operators from Nuclear Medicine”, “Radiation Protection in Radiotherapy Practice”, etc., dedicated to physicians and/or nurses.

Lectures envisaged not only participants’ information but also their formation as specialists in the related practice by correct understanding of the physical basic aspects and an individual attitude for the field promotion.

CPSDN constantly benefited of the scientific potential of Physics Institutes from Magurele Platform cooperating with specialists within IFA as lecturers and using their laboratories for practical applications.

Since 1996 CPSDN has been developed its activities as a Department within “Horia Hulubei” National Institute for Research and Development in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN – HH). This organization facilitates CPSDN’s access to IFIN – HH resources.

During 1970 – 2009, CPSDN contribution for training and specialization of personnel involved in practices with radiation sources and advanced physics techniques such as lasers and vacuum technique could be resumed as it follows:

~ 780 training programmes

~ 19.000 graduates.

Nuclear Training Centre is grateful to all contributors, with a special mention for:

Professor Nicolae Martalogu Ph.D., the first Cyclotron Department Head, who organized the research in the field of nuclear reactions with changed particles and neutrons. He proved to be an excellent manager, reason for which he was nominated to organize and lead the Centre as its first Director. During a long period of time (1970 – 1984) he successfully organized the Centre as a reference training unit.

Professor Mircea ONCESCU (1925-2005) Ph.D., excellent teacher and coordinator of scientific research in the field of radiation protection. He is the author of some reference papers, very useful for training activities

Gheorghe PETEU (1925-2003) Ph.D., Master in Radioactive logging, with important contributions to the development of radiation sources applications and radioisotopes production. He sustained lectures on: production of rough radioactive materials, production of radioisotopes, applications of nuclear techniques in industry, agriculture, medicine, livestock, technological irradiations and related nuclear legislation.

Petrica SANDRU (1931-2004) Physicist, Head of the Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Department, IAEA Expert, member of the National Emergency Group for the Assessment of Chernobyl Impact, lecturer for: radiation protection principles, management of radioactive waste, intervention in case of nuclear accident/incident, environmental impact of radioactive sources applications.