The NEA High-level Group on Stakeholder Engagement, Trust, Transparency and Social Sciences engages at the senior policy-level to cultivate a deeper understanding of the relations between the nuclear sector and society and to develop appropriate mechanisms to foster communication, public engagement and trust building between the public and the nuclear sector, in co-ordination with existing NEA bodies. 

Established in 2023, the HLG-SET will support and advance current NEA member countries’ efforts to improve the understanding and development of effective policy-level initiatives aimed at advancing the relationship between nuclear sector and civil society. The nuclear sector includes the nuclear industry, policymakers, regulators, technical institutes and other relevant stakeholders.

The HLG-SET is comprised of senior experts with deep experience in government, nuclear regulation, foreign policy, industry and academia. The group will cultivate a deeper understanding of how the nuclear sector interfaces with society and how to develop effective mechanisms for advancing the prerequisite of public involvement and trust. To do so, the HLG-SET will engage with political and social scientists, scholars in the field of humanities, non-governmental organisations representatives and practitioners of the nuclear sector.

The HLG-SET will also engage with the relevant existing NEA bodies to benefit from the practical experience they gained on operational issues, will take into account their experiences and practices, and may review efforts across the NEA and provide general guidance to support inclusive, strategic and efficient results.