On 16 September 2016, there will be festive events dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Laboratory of Computing Techniques and Automation (currently the Laboratory of Information Technologies) in June 1966.

The Laboratory was established on the initiative of Academician N.N. Bogoliubov. The first Director of the Laboratory was RAS corresponding member M.G. Meshcheryakov and his Deputies were G.I. Zabiyakin and N.N. Govorun, who, being a Professor and a RAS corresponding member, replaced M.G. Mescheryakov as Director of the Laboratory in 1988. The Laboratory included the JINR computing center, departments and groups of the Laboratory of High Energies and the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems.

In 2000 the Laboratory of Computing Techniques and Automation was renamed into the Laboratory of Information Technologies (LIT). That was the time for complete rethink of the scientific and technical programme of the Laboratory and a significant reorganization of its structure. That was a timely action induced by the global transition of developed countries of the world into a common information society.