Research on the reactor physics and reactor safety of VVER reactors – Selected contributions to the XXIst Symposium of the Atomic Energy Research organization

The Atomic Energy Research (AER) is an organization of 22 institutions (utilities, re-search institutes and universities) from nine countries. The common interest within this organ-ization is the research on topics related to all aspects of the operation of VVER reactors. AER provides the only regular scientific-technical co-operation for the VVER user countries. The organization is also open to institutions from countries not operating VVER reactors. . In 2011, the XXIst Symposium was organized in Dresden, Germany, from September 19 till 23. It was hosted by the Institute of Safety Research of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. Altogether 61 papers were presented during this Symposium. The organizing committee selected 15 papers from the Symposium for this special issue of Kerntechnik, representing the whole spectrum of the activities of the AER.