For 10 years the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) has been a hub in Vienna, Austria, for training diplomats and practitioners in nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, convening results-oriented dialogue on critical issues, and supporting the work of the non-proliferation regime through partnerships with governments, international organisations, academic institutions and other non-governmental organisations, among others. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Center, the VCDNP has collated some highlights from a decade of work.
Congratulations
On the occasion of the VCDNP’s 10th anniversary, several eminent persons have been kind to reach out and congratulate the Center formally, including: Alexander Schallenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Austria; Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization; Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency; and Laurie Patton, President, Middlebury College. The VCDNP expresses its thanks to them and all who take part in and support the Center’s work.
Training
Biannual Short Courses
Since 2011, the VCDNP has held 21 intensive short courses for diplomats and other practitioners focused on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament policy issues. The courses cover a wide range of issues, including: the non-proliferation regime at large; the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its review process; nuclear energy and the nuclear fuel cycle; nuclear safeguards, nuclear security and strategic trade controls; nuclear arms control historically and today; the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology; nuclear-weapon-free zones; current challenges to the regime; disarmament machinery, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Humanitarian Initiative that preceded it; and the work of the international organisations in Vienna.
Since the first course in September 2011 through September 2021, the VCDNP has trained 550 diplomats and practitioners in this flagship course, with an average of 26 participants per course. The VCDNP aims to have gender parity in its courses as much as possible. Although the proportion of women to men has fluctuated over the years, in recent years the Center has reached gender parity. The VCDNP flagship course aims in particular to reach diplomats and practitioners from developing countries, who have made up 73 percent of course participants.
Over the 10 years since its founding, the VCDNP has trained diplomats and practitioners from all over the world. The interactive graphics below offer insight into the variety of individuals who have taken part in the VCDNP’s flagship biannual short course.
This map displays the geographic distribution of participants. Hover over the countries to see how many individuals have participated in the VCDNP’s flagship course from which countries. Zoom in to see more detailed views of more dense areas.
Specialised Courses
In addition to its biannual flagship course on disarmament and non-proliferation, the VCDNP has held intensive specialised courses on issues related to nuclear security and IAEA safeguards, as well as an intensive mini-course targeted to ambassadors newly-arrived in Vienna.
- Nuclear Security. In February 2019, the VCDNP conducted its first Nuclear Security Professional Development Course. Of the 20 participants, 45 percent were female and 90 percent were from developing countries. The VCDNP's next nuclear security course is forthcoming in 2022.
- IAEA Safeguards. In June 2019, the VCDNP conducted its inaugural intensive course focused on the IAEA safeguards regime: “Safeguards for Policymakers: What You Need to Know." Of the 20 participants, 50 percent were female and 75 percent were from developing countries. The VCDNP's next course on safeguards is forthcoming in 2021.
- Ambassadors Mini-Course. In January 2021, at the behest of ambassadors already posted in Vienna, the VCDNP held its first mini-course targeted to ambassadors who newly arrived to their postings in Vienna. Of the 25 ambassadors who took part in the course, 36 percent were female and 68 percent were from developing countries.
- EU Courses. In February 2020 and February 2021, the VCDNP held specialised short courses aimed at bridging the knowledge gap between technical experts and policy experts at the graduate and post-graduate levels, targeting information technology and engineering students, and chemistry and biology students respectively. The courses were held under the auspices of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium, of which the VCDNP is one of six leading think tanks. A third such course is forthcoming in 2022.
Dialogue
The VCDNP functions as a convener and platform for dialogue that brings together different stakeholders. The VCDNP also brings technical experts and policymakers together to promote technically informed policy dialogue. These discussions provide an opportunity to reach across traditional divides and break silos to have meaningful exchanges on nuclear issues. For example:
- Diplomatic Workshops. Since 2014, the VCDNP, in partnership with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, has convened an annual diplomatic workshop that is attended by senior diplomats, senior officials of international organisations and representatives of academia and non-governmental organisations to discuss critical topics in non-proliferation and disarmament.
- Salon Dinners. The VCDNP works actively with the diplomatic community of Vienna outside of official meetings, including regular salon dinners that are attended by Vienna-based ambassadors to foster dialogue about critical and timely issues, as well as unofficial dialogue between the ambassadors themselves. The workshops and salon dinners are held under the Chatham House Rule.
- International Organisations. The VCDNP actively engages directly with the international organisations in Vienna, in particular the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In January 2020, the VCDNP held a panel discussion ahead of the 2020 IAEA Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS) featuring several ambassadors and the IAEA Director General to discuss key issues still to be finalized before the conference, including the ministerial declaration, their expectations of the overall outcome of the conference and the future direction of nuclear security efforts. The VCDNP also held a high-level series of panel discussions in January 2021, focused on strengthening the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and its verification regime. The event was held at the request of and in cooperation with the CTBT Art. XIV Process Co-Chairs Algeria and Germany as well as the Provisional Technical Secretariat.
- Cross-Cutting Dialogue. The VCDNP brings together different communities to discuss cross-cutting issues. The VCDNP held three workshops between April 2019 to November 2020 on work that could be done in order to strengthen nuclear safeguards and export controls in managing new challenges posed by advanced nuclear and emerging technologies. These workshops brought together more than 50 experts from the IAEA, nuclear supplier governments, industry representatives and research institutions. The VCDNP also has an ongoing project with the aim to promote better understanding of the sustainable use of nuclear and other radioactive materials for peaceful purposes, as well as to build bridges between countries’ views on nuclear security.
Outreach and Partnerships
For conducting impact-driven research and hosting results-oriented meetings, workshops and ad hoc training programmes, the VCDNP has partnered with more than 60 governments, international organisations, academic institutions, other non-governmental organisations and other groups. And we profoundly thank all of them for being valuable friends and colleagues and collectively working towards peace and security, strengthening non-proliferation and disarmament, and facilitating dialogue and capacity-building. The VCDNP is particularly grateful to the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs and the Carnegie Corporation of New York for the continuing multi-year support to the Center’s programs and activities.
