In September 2025, the first-ever three graduate students from the Asia-Pacific region, having enrolled in the Phoenix Leader Education Program,  strongly supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)’s Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) successfully completed the program as ‘Phoenix Leaders’.

Hiroshima University, located in the first city to experience the devastation of an atomic bombing, has long been dedicated to advancing research and education in radiation disaster recovery. In 2010, the university became a registered member of the IAEA Response Assistance Network (RANET), marking a significant step in its close partnership with the IAEA.

Following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011, Hiroshima University played a vital role in supporting recovery efforts in the region, offering essential expertise and assistance.

Building on this foundation, the Phoenix Leader Education Program (Hiroshima Initiative) for Renaissance from Radiation Disaster was established as a key component of the university’s ongoing efforts in this field. Inspired by Hiroshima’s unique history and the lessons learned from both the atomic bombing and the Fukushima disaster, the program is committed to cultivating global leaders capable of addressing the complex challenges of radiation disaster recovery.

The program offers three interdisciplinary courses for graduate students—Radiation Disaster Medicine Course, Radioactive Environmental Protection Course, and Radioactive Social Recovery Course—enabling students to develop both specialized expertise and cross-disciplinary skills.

Since its inception, the Phoenix Leader Education Program has engaged in numerous collaborative activities with the IAEA. These include hosting special lectures by IAEA experts, accepting graduate students from IAEA member states as IAEA Fellows since 2021, and organizing the Phoenix Program Summer School, which in 2024 brought together professionals from 14 IAEA member countries for intensive training and fieldwork.

Phoenix Program Summer School:
“Phoenix Program Summer School” was held in cooperation with IAEA.

Moving forward, the Phoenix Leader Education Program will continue to strengthen its partnership with the IAEA, fostering the next generation of leaders in radiation disaster recovery and contributing to global safety and resilience.

Site Visit to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant during the Phoenix Program Summer School 2024

Special lectures by IAEA experts

Students‘ internship at IAEA