On 1 December, at the CSIR International Convention Centre the 16th session of the Joint Coordination on RSA-JINR cooperation was held in the frames of the Forum “RSA-JINR: 10 Years Together”.

The meeting was held in an extended format. On the JINR side all the scientific Laboratories and the UC were represented at a high level. On the RSA side among the participants were representatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the National Research Fund (NRF) and coordinators of topical areas. The meeting was co-chaired by Deputy Director General of DST Thomas Auf der Heyde and JINR Vice-Director Grigory Trubnikov.

The results of the first year of a three-year cycle of the joint projects approved at the previous meeting of the Committee were discussed during the meeting. It was the start of The preparation of several new projects aimed at enhancement of cooperation between JINR and the iThemba LABS in the fields of accelerator and experimental techniques for intermediate and high energy heavy ion physics and in the fields of radiobiology. Members of the Committee noted the high efficiency of cooperation.

The high efficiency of JINR educational projects was specially noted. So, many participants of the first student practices have grown into mature scientists over a few years and presented the results of joint research at a high level at the Forum.

Issues of improvement of operative interaction and project management, as well as further steps to expand horizons of cooperation were also discussed. In particular, the arrival of the first South African scientists to JINR for an extensive period of time can be expected in the nearest future. Further steps on strengthening of relations in the frames of the mega-project NICA were outlined.