“Sharing information within the international nuclear security community is, obviously, the most powerful tool security communities have.”
Sergiy Kondratov, Senior Researcher at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Ukraine, speaks about the importance of international networks for nuclear security and the role of certification for an experienced professional.
Why is knowledge sharing within the international nuclear security community important?
Sharing information within the international nuclear security community is, obviously, the most powerful tool security communities have, in general and in nuclear security in particular. On the other hand, because of the sensitivity of issues associated with nuclear technologies and nuclear security, the professionals in this field face a lot of problems when trying to apply this specific tool. I think WINS is one of the best actors in this field in terms of solving such problems.
How did achieving certification help you achieve your professional goals?
Frankly, although I am in my 60s, I could not state that I have achieved my professional goals yet. But, to be serious, the certification programme gave me access to valuable information I can use, not only in the nuclear security field but also in a broader context and in related fields.
“The nuclear industry is one of the leaders in applying cutting-edge security approaches.”
What was your WINS Academy elective? Why did you choose it?
I chose Nuclear Security Incident Response. When I enrolled, our National Institute for Strategic Studies was involved in introducing the concept of critical infrastructure protection in Ukraine. The nuclear industry is one of the most critical elements of national infrastructure in countries that use nuclear technologies. Yet, the nuclear industry is one of the leaders in applying cutting-edge security approaches, so the relevant course was very interesting for me. At that time, I was preparing recommendations on responses to security incidents and crises with critical infrastructure involvement.
What inspired you to become a WINS Academy Ambassador?
First of all, WINS’ offer showed me that the WINS Academy remembers its alumni, and, of course, I wanted to test myself in a new and, I believe, interesting role.
What advice do you have for enrolled WINS Academy learners who haven’t completed their programme?
You should complete the programme, and you will certainly feel that the effort was worthwhile.
