Meridians of cooperation

On the eve of the CP JINR in Almaty

On 7 November, in Astana, JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov met with the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Almasadam Satkaliev, as well as the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek. Scientific and technological cooperation between JINR and scientific and higher educational organizations of Kazakhstan was discussed.

In a conversation with the Minister of Energy, the prospects for implementing applied research of JINR in Kazakhstan, in particular, in the field of ecology, were discussed. Thus, the Minister expressed interest in JINR's experience in developing environmental projects with other Member States of the Institute.

On the same day, a meeting was held with the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek. The latter emphasized the special role of the Joint Institute in the development of science in Kazakhstan. Sayasat Nurbek highlighted the significance of developing science in the university environment and increasing private investment in science. The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan develops a number of tax incentives for business companies investing in the research and development sector.

The National Council for Science and Technology was established under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the first meeting of which was held in April of current year. In October, the President of the National Academy of Sciences under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kunsulu Zakarya, visited JINR. During the visit, an agreement of intent was signed between JINR and NAS RK.

Grigory Trubnikov listed the mega-science projects of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan that were discussed at his meeting with the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in September, 2022. These projects include the future source of ultracold neutrons at INP, a multilateral project with close involvement of JINR and a bilateral project for a medical accelerator.

JINR Director indicated the Institute's readiness to make further contribution to the training of scientific personnel for the Republic of Kazakhstan and noted that a number of graduates of the double-degree programme with leading universities of Kazakhstan (currently, about 150 people) that completed internships at JINR, hold leadership positions in research institutes of Kazakhstan and in the relevant authorities of the republic. He emphasized that universities and scientific institutes should work in tandem in the development of both short-term and long-term projects. Thus, at JINR, Kazakh scientific centres and universities are participants in three projects at NICA: MPD, SPD, BM@N and Kazakh JINR staff members are engaged not only in scientific, but also in administrative work. The work of the Chairman of the Council of Leaders of JINR National Groups, Chairman of the Working Group on Financial Issues Erzhan Mukhamedzhanov was highlighted.

The offer of JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov to the Minister of Higher Education and Science Sayasat Nurbek to visit JINR next year was gratefully accepted.

The JINR delegation at the meetings was represented by JINR Vice-Director Lachesar Kostov, Head of International Cooperation Department Otilia Ana Culicov, JINR Chief Engineer Boris Gikal, FLNR Director Sergey Sidorchuk and Head of the National Group of Kazakhstan at JINR Erzhan Mukhamedzhanov. The Kazakh party was represented by Deputy Chairman of the Science Committee of the MES RK Asylkhan Bibosinov, General Director of the RSE "Institute of Nuclear Physics" of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of Kazakhstan at JINR Sayabek Sakhiev and Head of the Astana Branch of the INP Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Maxim Zdorovets.