Course in Ethics in the Use of AI in Nuclear Safety
Online 300-hour course in ethics in the use of AI in nuclear safety. 6 modules with Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (artificial intelligence), ISO/IEC 42001:2023 (AI management systems) and Python (scikit-learn). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Course in Ethics in the Use of AI in Nuclear Safety — studying from the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has a long history in nuclear engineering and maintains a substantial sector spanning reactor operation, decommissioning, fuel cycle and new build projects. Sites at Sellafield, Hinkley Point, Dounreay and Harwell host work on fuel cycle, waste management and advanced reactor technology. Organisations such as the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, EDF, Rolls-Royce SMR and Urenco UK employ engineers in design, safety and operations. Nuclear activities are overseen by the Office for Nuclear Regulation, which sets strict safety and security requirements.
Fees for the United Kingdom: £537 (Pound sterling), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in the United Kingdom
Typical roles
Questions from the United Kingdom
Which UK regulators and bodies govern nuclear engineering, and how do they treat private training?
The Office for Nuclear Regulation regulates nuclear safety in the UK, and the Nuclear Institute is the main professional body. Competence requirements for licensed sites are set by the operator and regulator. SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state degrees, and not accredited by any national body, so they carry no regulatory standing and recognition is at the discretion of employers and the Nuclear Institute.
Do UK nuclear operators and fuel cycle employers hire people with private online qualifications?
UK nuclear employers typically require security clearance, specific competence assessments and qualifications recognised within the industry. A private online qualification may add to your profile but is unlikely to replace formal requirements. Employers decide its value, so check the entry criteria for roles you want before investing in the programme.
How intensive is the programme, and can I fund it through employer sponsorship in the UK?
Specialist courses take 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and master's programmes 1,900 hours, all online in English with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments. Employer sponsorship is possible, and many UK nuclear employers run their own training schemes, so ask whether your employer would fund this specifically.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Describe the current and potential applications of AI in nuclear safety.
Apply ethical principles of AI to safety-critical systems.
Assess the robustness, explainability and assurance of AI models.
Interpret the European AI Regulation and the applicable ISO/IEC standards.
Analyse the compatibility of AI with nuclear instrumentation and control regulations.
Define human responsibilities in systems supported by AI.
Prepare an ethical assessment of an AI system in nuclear safety.
Who it's for
- AI engineer for safety-critical systems who wants to specialise in ethics in the use of AI in nuclear safety.
- Auditor of artificial intelligence systems who wants to specialise in ethics in the use of AI in nuclear safety.
- Nuclear instrumentation and control engineer who wants to specialise in ethics in the use of AI in nuclear safety.
- Nuclear safety analyst who wants to specialise in ethics in the use of AI in nuclear safety.
- AI governance manager who wants to specialise in ethics in the use of AI in nuclear safety.
- Researcher in AI ethics who wants to specialise in ethics in the use of AI in nuclear safety.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter nuclear power generation.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (artificial intelligence)
- ISO/IEC 42001:2023 (AI management systems)
- ISO/IEC 23894:2023 (AI risk management)
- NIST AI RMF 1.0 (AI risk management framework)
- IEC 60880 (software for category A systems in nuclear power plants)
- IEC 61513 (instrumentation and control of nuclear power plants)
- UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (2021)
- OECD AI Principles (2019)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1Applications: diagnostics, maintenance and inspection1.2AI in operator support systems1.3Computer vision in weld inspection1.4AI in probabilistic safety analysis1.5AI for regulation and document review1.6Physical security and cybersecurity with AI1.7Current use of AI in plants1.8Joint report by CNSC, ONR and NRC on AI1.9Specific risks of AI in critical systems1.10Case study: inventory of AI uses in a plant
2.1UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI2.2EU Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI2.3OECD AI Principles2.4Beneficence and non-maleficence2.5Explainability and transparency2.6Fairness and non-discrimination2.7Human autonomy and oversight2.8Responsibility and accountability2.9Robustness and technical safety2.10Workshop: applying principles to a nuclear AI system
3.1Opacity of deep neural networks3.2Adversarial examples and attacks3.3Data drift and obsolescence3.4Scarce data on rare events3.5Out-of-distribution generalisation3.6Uncertainty quantification in AI3.7Formal verification of neural networks3.8Software assurance per IEC 608803.9Function classification per IEC 612263.10Practical: robustness test of a classifier
4.1European AI Regulation and high-risk systems4.2ISO/IEC 42001 on AI management systems4.3ISO/IEC 23894 on AI risk management4.4NRC AI strategy4.5IAEA approach to AI4.6Conformity assessment and audits4.7Documentation: model and data cards4.8Model lifecycle management4.9AI providers and supply chain4.10Case study: conformity assessment of a high-risk system
5.1Attribution of liability for AI failures5.2Automation bias in operators5.3Impact on safety culture5.4AI competencies and training5.5Dual use of nuclear AI5.6Generative AI in safety documentation5.7Transparency with the public5.8Trust of regulators and society5.9Internal ethical governance5.10Workshop: ethics committee for an AI project
6.1Selection of the AI system6.2Technical description and safety function6.3Technical risk analysis6.4Assessment against ethical principles6.5Applicable regulatory requirements6.6Human oversight and V&V plan6.7Governance recommendations6.8Summary of conclusions6.9Report and presentation6.10Final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetable: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Python (scikit-learn), PyTorch, SHAP, IBM AI Fairness 360, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied using real procedures for assessing the robustness of a diagnostic model, explainability auditing, and risk analysis of an AI system. Assessment is continuous per module plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Describe the current and potential applications of AI in nuclear safety.
Apply ethical principles of AI to safety-critical systems.
Assess the robustness, explainability and assurance of AI models.
Interpret the European AI Regulation and the applicable ISO/IEC standards.
Analyse the compatibility of AI with nuclear instrumentation and control regulations.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- Sufficient level of Spanish to follow technical regulatory reading.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours spread over 3 to 5 months. That is between 10 and 15 hours a week on average, compatible with a full-time job.
You will work with Python (scikit-learn), PyTorch, SHAP, IBM AI Fairness 360. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the open-source alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or Postgraduate Diploma in the same area are recognised in the advanced programme. Check the recognition policy when you enrol.
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