Head of Nuclear Law and Policy, Denise Cheong was invited to participate in the first-ever “International Conference on Nuclear Law: The Global Debate” organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 25 to 29 April 2022 in Vienna, Austria. She presented as part of the roundtable titled “The Role of Nuclear Law in the Broader Context of Other Areas of Law”.

Drawing on her research experience, Denise’s presentation focused on how nuclear law could be conceptualised and what implications this may have on current approaches to higher education research and the requisite learning and skills for developing capacity within the research domain. Her presentation began with observations on the state of play within the research domain then focused on nuclear law at the international level, reflecting on its role, nature and ambit, given the realities of (i) “boundary interactions” with other branches of international law, and (ii) institutional “law making”.

Key takeaways from her presentation included: First, the need for a holistic conceptualisation of nuclear law in order to promote its objective of providing a legal framework that would adequately protect individuals, property and the environment. This should include nuclear law provisions in other areas of law as well as both hard and soft law. Second, nuclear law researchers, as part of broader research community, have an important part to play in helping to “discover” the breadth & depth of nuclear law and more research collaboration is needed to advance the objective of nuclear law, in light of the increasingly complex and multidisciplinary issues that nuclear law is being called on to address. Third, new learning, skills and support are needed to help nuclear law research fulfil this role effectively.

Further details of this conference are available on the IAEA’s conference page and programme.