Introduction

Covering electricity production, medicine and industrial radiography the spectrum of applications of ionising radiation is very wide. Although working with a variety of responsibilities and specific professional aims, practitioners have a triple common need :

- basic education and training providing the required level of understanding of artificial and natural radiation,
- a standard for the recognition of skills and experience,
- an opportunity to fine-tune and test acquired knowledge on a regular basis.

From an executive perspective, education and training are undoubtedly the two basic pillars of any policy regarding safety in the workplace.

International meetings, publications and recommendations with regard to safety culture increasingly stress the need for education and training in the field of radiological protection. In addition, complying with specific European directives concerning the implementation of a coherent approach to education and training becomes crucial in a world of dynamic markets and increasing workers’ mobility. Finally, the enlargement of the EU to 10 new member states has to be considered as an additional challenge regarding the fulfilment of these requirements.

Two international meetings have already been organised, showing that a common readiness to exchange views on education and training in radiological protection is emerging. These meetings focused on benchmarking current experiences and practices and made the first attempts at describing harmonisation at the European level. The first meeting was held in Saclay (France) in 1999, the second took place in Madrid (Spain) in 2003.

Determined to build further on what has been achieved up to now, the Belgian Federal Agency for Nuclear Control FANC and the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK•CEN organise the 3rd international conference on education and training in radiological protection, ETRAP2005, in Brussels in November 2005.

The conference intends to address the largest potential audience, covering policy makers, the medical sector, radiographers, NORM experts, the engineering sector, the non-nuclear industry, social sciences researchers, safety experts, regulators and authorities. Furthermore, it aims to reinforce the contacts between various organisations and individuals dealing with education and training policies in radiological protection. The expected outcome is better harmonisation of training practice and of skills recognition. Special attention will be paid to the networks currently emerging at the European and global level. ETRAP2005 and the subsequent conferences will provide the necessary platform for a comprehensive and transdisciplinary approach to education and training in radiological protection.

We are looking forward to welcoming you at ETRAP2005.

Paul Govaerts, ETRAP2005 chairman ( † January 25, 2006)