PIR Center calls for applications for an online course on nuclear nonproliferation under the auspices of the project “Global Security: A View from Russia for the Youth Around the World”

MOSCOW. SEPTEMBER 22, 2023. PIR PRESS. «I was glad to hear about PIR Center’s plans to prepare online courses on nuclear nonproliferation for a foreign audience. I think that now is the right time to implement this project. I have repeatedly noted the interest of representatives of India, China and Türkiye in the issues of arms control and nuclear nonproliferation. Unfortunately, they face objective hurdles in participating in such projects, primarily due to the fact that it is rare that they speak Russian. I suppose that online courses on arms control and nuclear nonproliferation in English could contribute to tackle this problem. However, I believe that they will be in demand not only in the countries of the East, but also of the West, maintaining a dialogue with which is extremely important for Russia, even if the current geopolitical situation does not contribute to this», — Dr. Elena Chernenko, special correspondent of the Kommersant Daily, member of PIR Center Executive Board.

PIR Center is calling for applications for an online course in English on nuclear nonproliferation. Its preparation and holding is a key area of the PIR Center’s educational project Global Security: A View from Russia for the Youth Around the World.

The online course is intended for a wide foreign English-speaking audience of diplomats and government officials, journalists, employees of research centers and institutes, teachers and students, functionaries of public organizations dealing with international cooperation and public diplomacy, as well as all those who are simply interested in this issue or who live by the principle of life-long learning. It will also be of interest to Russian specialists who want to improve their specialized categorical and conceptual apparatus in English.

Students of the online course will be able to get acquainted with the historical aspects of the formation of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, its theoretical foundations and, of course, with the current challenges and threats in all three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (nonproliferation, disarmament, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy). Only Russian experts — theorists and practitioners in the field of the nuclear factor in international relations — are invited as lecturers.

• The online course will be delivered in e-learning mode exclusively in English for a total duration of 16 hours.
• Video lectures as well as literature and sources for self-study will be posted on the PIR Center’s research and education platform NONPROLIFERATION.WORLD. They will be available for viewing at any time, but strictly in the period from November 13 to December 3, 2023.
• It is planned to conduct final testing (99 test questions, 1 free-response question in the format of a 6 000 characters essay). Students who have scored at least 60% of the maximum number of points will receive a certificate of advanced training and become full-fledged graduates of PIR Center — members of PIR Alumni Community, will be involved in other PIR Center educational and research projects.

Those wishing to apply for an online course should:

1. REGISTER via the link.

Applications for the online course will be accepted until November 10, 2023.

The PIR Center’s educational project Global Security: A View from Russia for the Youth Around the World is implemented with the support from Presidential Grants Foundation. The online course within the project is also conducted with the support of MGIMO University, PIR Center’s strategic partner.

You can read more about the project Global Security: A View from Russia for the Youth Around the World and its key areas here.

Founded in 1994, PIR Center today is one of the Russia’s leading nongovernmental organizations specialized in nuclear nonproliferation, disarmament and global security. Since 2010 PIR Center is in consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Since 2020 it holds the status of a socially oriented non-profit organization in Russia (SONKO). PIR Center conducts extensive and diverse scientific, organizational, consulting and educational activities. The portfolio of PIR Center projects is formed by its 4 core programs: Nuclear Nonproliferation and Russia Program; Global and Regional Security: New Ideas for Russia; Education & Training Program; Information & Publications Program.

During 29 years of its activity, PIR Center has formed a large international community of specialists in international security — PIR Center Alumni Community. Its most impressive element is more than 800 graduates of PIR Center main educational projects: International School on Global Security, training and lecture courses; Internship Program, Dual Degree M.A. Program in Nonproliferation Studies (developed by PIR Center, MGIMO University, Middlebury Institute for International Studies at Monterey, USA), International Timebraev Nuclear Debates and etc.

Key words: Education; Nuclear Nonproliferation; Global Security

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