On 7 November, in Astana, Director of the Joint Institute Grigory Trubnikov met with Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Almasadam Sätqaliev and Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek. During the meetings, they discussed scientific and technological cooperation between JINR and Kazakhstani scientific and higher educational institutions.

At the meeting with Minister of Energy Almasadam Sätqaliev, the prospects of conducting JINR’s applied research in Kazakhstan, particularly that in the field of ecology, were considered. 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 took place with Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek, during which he stressed the important role of the Joint Institute in the advancement of science in Kazakhstan. Sayasat Nurbek emphasised the significance of developing science in universities and increasing the number of private investments in science. The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan is preparing a number of tax incentives for business companies that invest in the research and development sector.

The National Council for Science and Technology was established under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Its first meeting took place this year in April. In October, President of the National Academy of Science under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kunsulu Zakariya visited the Joint Institute. During the visit, JINR and the Academy signed an agreement of intent.

Grigory Trubnikov listed the megascience projects of the Institute of Nuclear Physics (INP) of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which he discussed with the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during their meeting in September 2022. Among them is the future source of ultracold neutrons of the INP, a multilateral project that JINR is actively involved in, and a bilateral medical accelerator project.

JINR Director stated that the Institute is willing to continue contributing to the training of scientific personnel for the Republic of Kazakhstan. He noted that a number of graduates of the joint degree programme with the leading universities of Kazakhstan (currently about 150 people) who have interned at JINR occupy leadership positions in research institutes of Kazakhstan and in the specialised agencies of the republic. He also stressed that universities and research institutes should operate in tandem in the development of both short-term and long-term projects. Thus, Kazakhstani research centres and universities take part in three projects at NICA: MPD, SPD, BM@N. JINR employees from Kazakhstan are engaged not only in scientific, but also in administrative work. The work of Chairman of the JINR Council of Heads of National Groups, Chairman of the Working Group on Financial Issues Yerzhan Mukhamedzhanov was recognised.

Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek gladly accepted JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov’s proposal to visit the Joint Institute next year.

At the meetings, the JINR delegation was represented by JINR Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov, JINR Deputy Chief Scientific Secretary Otilia Ana Culicov, JINR Chief Engineer Boris Gikal, FLNR JINR Director Sergey Sidorchuk, and Head of the National Group of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Mukhamedzhanov. Kazakhstan’s side included Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Asylkhan Bibosinov, Director General of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of Kazakhstan in JINR Sayabek Sakhiyev, and Head of the Astana branch of the INP of the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan Maxim Zdorovets.

On 10 November, a regular session of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries of the Governments of the JINR Member States will take place in Almaty. Grigory Trubnikov will make a report including the results of the implementation of the Seven-Year Plan for the Development of JINR for 2017-2023. He will also present a development plan for JINR covering the upcoming seven years. CP JINR members will review the final draft of the Seven-Year Plan for the Development of JINR for 2024-2030.

The session will review the draft budget of JINR for 2024, the estimated contributions of the JINR Member States for 2025, 2026, 2027, and the results of the meeting of the JINR Finance Committee taking place today, on 9 November. The results of the next audit of JINR’s financial activities will be reported.

In addition, on the next day, 11 November, a grand opening of the JINR Information Centre, the launch of a cloud computing cluster, and the JINR’s Big Science photo exhibition will take place at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan.