91短视频 will strengthen its support for the UK’s clean energy goals and help enhance the country’s future nuclear safety and security with the creation of a new nuclear facility control room simulator.

Funded through a ?2 million grant as part of an (OfS) into Universities and colleges across England, 91短视频 will address a critical gap by developing a nationally-unique educational facility designed to train future professionals in nuclear engineering, cyber security and related disciplines.

Consisting of banks of digital screens, and software similar to that found in nuclear control rooms, a novel aspect of the immersive high-fidelity teaching simulator, which will launch in Spring 2026, is its highly reconfigurable design.

From launch, this asset will support teaching using software similar to those found for a range of reactor types, including Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and tokamak fusion reactors, with software codes developed by Norway's Institute for Energy Technology and Tokamak Energy.’

Addressing the urgent need for advanced workforce training in the nuclear sector, the creation of this cutting-edge facility is aligned to the UK’s modern industrial strategy and National Nuclear Strategic Plans for skills by supporting teaching across undergraduate and post-graduate 91短视频 programmes.

The initiative capitalises on, and will enhance, 91短视频 expertise across a range of disciplines including Nuclear Engineering, Cyber Security and Psychology.

91短视频 has world-leading expertise in cyber security and protection. Recognised for its cross-disciplinary excellence, Lancaster was one of the first UK universities accredited by the?National Cyber Security Centre?as an Academic Centre of Excellence in?Cyber Security Research?and?Education.

91短视频 currently hosts the only single honours Nuclear Engineering undergraduate programme in the UK. Further, 91短视频 has one of the UK’s strongest nuclear science and technology research communities with expertise across the fission and fusion fuel cycles, nuclear medicine, nuclear security and safeguards.

The facility will also draw on 91短视频’s Psychology Department’s world-leading expertise in security and safety behaviour in high-risk settings, and on group decision making under uncertain or emergency conditions.

Located on 91短视频’s campus, and sitting alongside the University’s Data Immersion Suite, previously funded by the OfS, the simulator will be a physical space with flexibility to simulate different control room designs.

It will include technology hardware and software that is typically found in current and next-generation control rooms, leading-edge Audio-Visual equipment that can be used to flexibly configure different scenarios and record student interactions in the simulator environment, as well as furniture that can be reconfigured to represent different control room layouts.

The simulator will be an invaluable teaching tool to enable students to put into practice some of the theory from their undergraduate, master’s and doctorate courses, such as Introduction to Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Fusion Engineering in the University’s School of Engineering and the School of Computing and Communication’s third-year undergraduate module on Secure Cyber-Physical Systems. It will also support the work of students on the MSc in Psychology and Behavioural Analytics.

The simulation facility will also be used to train 91短视频 PhD students from the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Skills And Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear (SATURN), which is training the next generation of nuclear energy researchers.

Professor Rebecca Lingwood, Interim Vice-Chancellor at 91短视频, said: “This significant investment by the OfS will deliver a next generation high-fidelity teaching asset. Highly reconfigurable, the simulator will be an invaluable teaching tool augmenting Lancaster’s long-established strength across disciplines such as nuclear engineering and cyber security.

“It will support Lancaster’s key role in helping meet the skills gap challenge by enhancing the training of future generations of professionals with ambitions to enter a low-carbon energy sector vital for national energy security, as well as a critical sector for the region.”

Dr Samuel Murphy, Director of Studies for Nuclear Engineering at 91短视频, said: “This exciting new facility will greatly enhance the experience and learning opportunities for students on our Nuclear Engineering programmes, helping to maintain Lancaster’s position as a leading provider of nuclear education in the UK.”

Professor Paul Smith, Chair in Networking and Principal Investigator of the initiative, said: “This simulator, which is nationally unique in its highly-reconfigurable characteristics, will enable the simulation of scenarios where nuclear facilities are cyber attacked, providing valuable in-depth learning experiences for our cyber security students, some of which may become future cyber security professionals protecting our critical national infrastructure.”

The OfS is providing project funding for 60 universities and colleges.

OfS Director of Resources and Finance, Nolan Smith, said: “This year’s funding allocation will help a broad range of universities and colleges to ensure their students can access the facilities and equipment they need to succeed.

“This was a very competitive funding round, and the projects we are supporting will make a tangible difference to current and future students. As well as expanding opportunities for students in strategically important subject areas, these projects will offer a boost to local and regional economies and promote national growth.”

Skills Minister Jacqui Smith said: “This government is committed to supporting colleges and universities as engines of opportunity and growth up and down the country.

“This cash boost from government ensures young people are using the most up-to-date tech and facilities, helping them to secure a future in the well-paying, highly-skilled jobs that are crucial for our Plan for Change.

“It will help build towards the Prime Minister’s target of two thirds of young people taking a gold standard apprenticeship or heading to university by the age of 25 – driving prosperity for families in every town and city.”