Summary

Technical and scientific support organizations (TSOs) are playing an increasingly important role in supporting national regulatory bodies and the nuclear industry by providing the technical and scientific expertise necessary to make optimum safety decisions. The aim of this conference was to address the challenges TSOs face in providing this support. The objective was also to provide the opportunity for TSOs from different countries, as well as other organizations and experts, to discuss and develop a common understanding of the opportunities, responsibilities and needs of TSOs; to explore appropriate approaches to addressing current and expected challenges in nuclear and radiation safety; and to discuss the roles, functions and value of TSOs. These proceedings include a summary, the opening speeches, the invited papers, and the President's conference summary and conclusion. The accompanying CD-ROM contains unedited contributed papers and the presentations that were submitted with some of the invited papers.