Researchers Understanding of the Possible Contribution of International Atomic Energy’s to the Launch of a National Nuclear Power Programme

Abstract The continuous rise in global energy demand is a result of factors such as increasing globalization, increased access to technology, increasing world population, and rising standard of living. This study investigates the level of understanding of the role of the International Atomic Energy Agency among researchers involved in nuclear power programmes. The level of knowledge on the launching of a nuclear power programme is significantly related to the existence of a nuclear power plant in a country while the understanding of the IAEA milestone approach correlates with the knowledge of other nuclear technology applications in the country. These results show that research reactors and the wide application of nuclear technology in a country can contribute to understanding the critical issues associated with nuclear power programme development.