Bristol is to be the base for a nuclear energy research and education hub. This will be developed following an agreement by the University of Bristol to invest more than £5.3 million along with £2.43 million, from the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

The hub, which builds on the success of the Bristol-Oxford Nuclear Research Centre (NRC) formed in 2011, is due to open in early 2016; it signifies a development of the existing NRC strategy by creating a dedicated physical presence at the university that will be accessible to both the UK and international nuclear energy community.

Tom Scott, NRC director and reader in nuclear materials, said: “Our objective is for the hub to become an internationally recognised centre for nuclear research and education.

It will bring academic and industrial expertise together in a multi-disciplinary environment to address some of the major engineering, scientific and societal challenges related to civil nuclear power generation.

"Through the development of a Masters teaching programme, the hub will deliver the skills required by the next generation of the UK’s nuclear plant operators, regulators and supply chain.”

Strong support has been received from leading industrial stakeholders including EDF Energy, Areva, Sellafield Ltd and Rolls-Royce.

Government organisations and agencies such as the National Nuclear Laboratory, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy and the Local Enterprise Partnerships have also provided support.