On 3 August, a delegation from the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) visited the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. During the visit, a meeting took place at the JINR Directorate to discuss the issues of creating a modern comfortable urban environment in Dubna and other science cities of Russia.

Director General Svetlana Chupsheva and Deputy Director of the ASI Urban Economy Division Maria Komkova represented the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. In addition, the meeting included JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov, Head of the Dubna City District Maxim Tikhomirov, Rector of Dubna State University Andrey Denikin, and JINR Assistant Director for Development Projects Alexander Ruzaev.

“The Agency for Strategic Initiatives is a truly unique national competence centre and development institution that solves the task of advancing large-scale projects replicated after country-wide testing,” Grigory Trubnikov stressed at the beginning of the meeting. He noted the Agency’s significant contribution to the promotion of issues and proposals related to the infrastructural advancement of Dubna and other science cities. In particular, the Director of the Institute spoke about the project of an international scientific and educational campus, the International Science and Technology Park in Dubna. This initiative was first presented at one of the key ASI forums, Archipelago 2023.

Maxim Tikhomirov told the guests about the social and medical projects under implementation in the science city, emphasising the special importance of creating a comfortable and safe environment for citizens and guests of Dubna. The head of the city also highlighted the active work of the administration on improving Dubna and the quality of life of its residents.

ASI Director General spoke highly of the achievements of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in international scientific cooperation and Dubna’s significant role in developing cities with high scientific and technological potential. Emphasis was placed on the importance of joint work in creating a master plan for Dubna’s social and economic aspects. She noted that this is task is crucial in the context of the Russian President’s decree to compile a list of 200 large and small cities for which appropriate development strategies will be devised.

Svetlana Chupsheva expressed interest in using the family-centred city standard, proposed by ASI in May 2024 at a meeting of the Supervisory Board and supported by the President of Russia, for the infrastructural development of the science city. The Agency will provide the necessary methodological and expert support to Dubna and the Joint Institute in the creation of the master plan.

JINR Assistant Director for Development Projects Alexander Ruzaev spoke about new financial mechanisms for attracting private investment in science, technology, and infrastructure, which the Institute is working on together with major financial partners.

At a meeting of the Council for Science and Education held in Dubna on 13 June, JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov addressed Vladimir Putin with a proposal to actively use modern financial instruments for the advancement of science and technology. This initiative was supported and included in the Decree List based on the results of the visit of the Russian President. Svetlana Chupsheva noted the importance of using such mechanisms and stressed the need to combine the efforts of the Joint Institute and the Agency for Strategic Initiatives in this area.

After the meeting, the parties outlined key actions to carry out the agreed-upon tasks and implement future joint projects.

The ASI delegation visited the research infrastructure of the Joint Institute, namely the sites of the synchrophasotron and the NICA Accelerator Complex at the Laboratory of High Energy Physics, the Centre of Applied Physics of the Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, and the JINR Basic Facilities interactive exhibition at the Mir Cultural Centre.