The safety of nuclear power builds on many scientific and technical areas of which instrumentation andcontrol (I&C) and human factors (HF) have shown to be very important. The OECD Halden Reactor Project(HRP) has been involved in these two areas for many years in their mantechnology organisation (MTO) research. In the view of a revival of nuclear power for electricity generation presently taking place, the MTOresearch and development (R&D) at HRP is growing in importance. The present paper discusses some of thechallenges that can be seen in the fields of I&C and HF engineering and it concludes by stressing theimportance for HRP to engage in dialogues with their signatories on needs and opportunities for newresearch in the MTO area. Such needs and opportunities should be integrated in the strategic considerationsfor the next three year programme of HRP that now is in its planning stage.Björn WahlströmTechnical Research Centre of Finland (VTT)
