Nuclear Safeguards in a Changing World – 15th Symposium on International Safeguards Opens in Vienna

By R Anil Kumar

Vienna/ Bengaluru, Nov 13, 2026. Around 1,000 participants from more than 100 countries and 20 international organizations are meeting this week in Vienna and online for the 15th Symposium on International Safeguards: Innovation and Resilience in a Changing World – Safeguards as a Shared Responsibility.

By implementing safeguards, the IAEA verifies States’‘ undertakings to use nuclear material and technology only for peaceful purposes. Through its independent verification work, the IAEA provides the world with credible assurances that nuclear material is not diverted from peaceful activities to nuclear weapons.

The Symposium, which opened this afternoon, provides a forum to identify opportunities and challenges in safeguards, cultivate partnerships, and showcase research and ideas in support of the verification of the peaceful use of nuclear material and technology. Taking place every four years, it is a unique platform to strengthen collective commitment, and foster scientific and technical exchange in support of that mission.

This year’‘s Symposium takes place against a backdrop of significant change. Since the last such event in 2022, the global nuclear landscape has continued to evolve at an unprecedented pace. Rapid technological advancements, renewed interest in nuclear energy and its applications, shifting geopolitical dynamics, and unprecedented safety and security risks to safeguards operations in the field are all reshaping both the opportunities and challenges facing the safeguards system.

“Our operating environment is undergoing significant changes that is testing our resilience and challenging us to be more innovative,” said Massimo Aparo, Deputy Director General and Head of the IAEA Department of Safeguards, during his opening remarks.

Mr Aparo outlined the three themes that will guide the week’‘s discussions: innovation, resilience and safeguards as a shared responsibility. “For the safeguards system to remain resilient, we need all of you: policymakers, diplomats, regulators, industry, researchers, technologists, civil society and the safeguards workforce,” he said. “You all have a vital role to play in upholding and strengthening the safeguards system.”

He also described progress made on the ‘‘ideas for action’‘ identified at the 2022 Symposium, including closer collaboration with industry and regulators on designing nuclear technologies with safeguards in mind, the completion of the first regular cycle of the comprehensive capacity-building initiative COMPASS, and continued development of the equipment used by inspectors in the field.

The opening plenary featured three keynote speakers addressing the Symposium’‘s main themes. Roberto Verganti, Professor at the House of Innovation of the Stockholm School of Economics and Visiting Lecturer at Harvard Business School, spoke on innovation. Margaret Heffernan, a former CEO and Professor of Practice at the School of Management at the University of Bath, addressed resilience. And Francesca Giovannini, Executive Director of the Project on Managing the Atom at Harvard Kennedy School’‘s Belfer Center, spoke on safeguards as a shared responsibility.

Following the keynotes, a moderated panel discussion brought together the three speakers and Mr Aparo to explore how the safeguards community can respond to contemporary challenges and seize emerging opportunities.

The Week Ahead

During the week, participants will present and discuss around 300 scientific papers. Topics range from the deployment of artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced analytics in safeguards, to safeguards approaches for novel nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors and commercial nuclear shipping. The programme also covers strategies for managing the increasing amount of nuclear material and facilities requiring IAEA verification, and strengthening organizational resilience.

“Here, today, we have assembled the world’‘s foremost experts in the field of nuclear verification. We have also assembled many experts from other sectors with promising technologies and techniques of relevance to safeguards,” Mr Aparo said. “Together, I hope this creates a melting pot of ideas and innovative thinking that relates directly to enhancing performance while meeting anticipated future challenges.”

For the first time, the Symposium will be complemented by ‘‘Training Days’‘, running from Monday, 9 November to Friday, 13 November. Covering topics from legal frameworks to verification techniques, the Training Days offer participants an opportunity to deepen their understanding of key safeguards concepts, techniques and practices, and to connect directly with IAEA experts.

The Symposium also offers participants the chance to explore professional opportunities in the nuclear verification field. The plenary session “The People of Safeguards: Perspectives from Across the Community,” on Wednesday, 11 November, will provide insights on career paths, work profiles and opportunities in safeguards across international, government, business and non-governmental sectors. In addition, a speed mentoring session will give participants the opportunity to network with IAEA experts and senior safeguards professionals.

The opening plenary, the closing plenary, and the plenary session “The People of Safeguards: Perspectives from Across the Community” are being livestreamed on the IAEA website.