ISTC Supports U.S. Department of State FIRST Program for SMR Classroom Simulator Initiative

Astana, December 23, 2025

The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) is supporting the launch of a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) classroom simulator in Kazakhstan as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program.

Under this initiative, an SMR classroom simulator developed by U.S. vendors Holtec International and WSC Inc., a subsidiary of Curtiss-Wright, will be provided to the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) in Almaty. The project is implemented by ISTC in close coordination with U.S. and Kazakhstani partners.

The simulator will serve as a regional training hub, supporting workforce development and capacity building for the safe, secure, and responsible deployment of SMR technologies across Central Asia. It will enable hands-on training for students, technical specialists, and other stakeholders, while promoting best practices in nuclear safety, security, and nonproliferation.

ISTC has a long-standing partnership with the U.S. Department of State, including extensive experience implementing projects funded under the FIRST Program across multiple countries. Through this cooperation, ISTC supports the Department of State’s objectives to promote responsible civil nuclear energy development, strengthen regulatory and technical capacity, and foster international collaboration with trusted partners.

The SMR classroom simulator project in Kazakhstan reflects ISTC’s continued commitment to serving as a reliable implementing partner for U.S.-funded initiatives and to advancing peaceful, safe, and secure applications of nuclear technologies in accordance with the highest safety, security, and nonproliferation standards.