Opening the second meeting of the JINR Science and Technology Council of this year, its Chairman R. V. Jolos paid attention to the fact that the previous meeting took place before the pandemic. In this regard, many issues are left for discussion and adoption of STC JINR recommendations. Due to the difficult epidemiological situation, the meeting had a hybrid format: most of its participants joined the event via the video.

JINR Director V. A. Matveev noted that the agenda of the guest session of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries, preliminarily scheduled for November 2020 in Bulgaria, would include the discussion of the draft of the Strategic Plan for the Institute’s long-term development until 2030 and further. Its key constituent – science – was considered at the February STC meeting. Now, the second constituent of the strategy document is to be discussed, namely the plan of the development of the Institute as the international intergovernmental scientific and research organization. “This year, an expert and analytical working group was established under the Directorate chaired by G. V. Trubnikov to discuss these issues,” V. A. Matveev noted and gave the floor to the First Vice-Director to report on the milestones of this complex work and to present the draft of the Strategic Plan for the long-term development of JINR.

G. V. Trubnikov highlighted that the drafted document was the result of joint work of not only the working group but also major divisions of the Institute. The working group aimed to ensure compatibility and continuity of the work already done on drafting the future scientific strategy that is the core of the Strategy with other elements of this policy document. This document was prepared based on an extensive analysis of current JINR activities, experience and plans of other international organizations, as well as the JINR Member States. Subgroups established in the frames of the working group made proposals for the summary document on the development of scientific and organizational activities of the Institute, its staff, administration management, innovative development, social environment, international scientific and technical cooperation.

Grigory Trubnikov noted that this document is the Strategy in the full sense of the word, that is, a set of principles and aims, as well as, to a certain extent, the future coordinate system and guidelines for the JINR development until 2030 and further.

The analysis of key challenges and risks of further JINR development has become an integral part of strategic planning. Thus, G. V. Trubnikov considered current internal and external challenges, in particular, risks of the staff outflow caused by the transition of the personnel to the remote working regime and the borders closed due to the unfavourable epidemiological situation all over the world. Among the systemic risks, Grigory Trubnikov noted the challenge of maintaining the optimal age profile of the staff, as well as its expansion towards a more international composition, and the potential crises of recognition of the value of high energy physics and particle physics by the society and the state. “We cannot but see the growing global trend towards the increase and allocation of colossal sources, first of all, for Life Science research, including by reducing support of fundamental fields of physics which are the key ones at our Institute. It means that it is necessary to cooperate with governments and scientific communities of the Member States more actively and form a modern up-to-date research programme together,” the speaker concluded.

Talking about the ideology of the presented document, Grigory Trubnikov stated that “organization principles and efficiency target of the Institute’s administrative management should ensure scientific, educational and innovative activities of JINR in compliance with modern international standards.” At the same time, the JINR mission may be also formulated as the integrative triad “Science – Man – World”. The presented development Strategy focuses on the goal “Do Science @ Dubna” and includes three basic constituents: human capital, science and basic facilities, innovations and outreach, united by the “strong interactive” international social environment into a single ecosystem.

Then, presenting the Strategy of the JINR development for a long period, the speaker illustrated main provisions of this policy document focusing on such constituents of the JINR architecture 2030+ as scientific and organizational activities (new-format JINR Topical Plan), social environment, attractiveness and competitiveness of the Institute, international cooperation, staff policy, and management of the Institute (work of the administrative system). All these components when properly implemented should ensure the stable development of the Institute as a leading international intergovernmental organization based on world standards of organization of breakthrough scientific research in the interests of the JINR Member States. Research conducted by the Institute in compliance with fundamental principles of international scientific and technical cooperation: openness, responsibility, mutual benefit and de-politicization.

“JINR can present itself in such a way as to play an active integrating role in the global scientific and technological cooperation,” Grigory Trubnikov said. He also reported on the mechanisms of the Strategy’s implementation during its presentation. The next stage of work on the document will be its consideration at a regular CP session in November 2020, and then its expected adoption in March 2021. The First Vice-Director proposed to establish a Working group on strategic development under the CP Chairman. It will be followed by the development of the next JINR development plan for the period after 2023 based on the Strategy. Grigory Trubnikov noted that a significant element of the Strategy’s implementation should be its recognition by Institute’s staff members and their involvement in it. For this purpose, it is proposed to hold a series of events to discuss and analyse the Strategy with the JINR staff, national groups and the Institute’s Member States.

An important task in the implementation of the sustainable development of the Institute, in accordance with principles and guidelines of the Strategy, should be the formation of the system for the analysis, monitoring, forecast of major indicators (possible indicators and the Strategy’s indicators were presented at the meeting) and regular reporting at CP sessions.

The presented report evoked vivid interest and discussions during and after the STC meeting. The report was discussed by I. N. Meshkov, V. D. Kekelidze, D. V. Peshekhonov, B. Yu. Sharkov, N. A. Russakovich, S. N. Nedelko, R. V. Jolos. Answering the questions of colleagues, G. V. Trubnikov expressed his gratitude to everyone who took part in the discussion, especially the team of his colleagues from the Institute engaged in drafting the Strategy as members of the expert and analytical working group. It should be noted that the group consisted of representatives of all the laboratories, including from numerous JINR Member States.

Concluding the STC meeting, V. A. Matveev noted that the presented document provided a clear and comprehensive view of the Strategy and prospects for the Institute’s development. “Now, we should think,” he said, “how to implement these ambitious plans. The entire scientific and business atmosphere at the Institute will depend on it. This atmosphere is necessary to formulate new scientific goals. Very challenging tasks are set. This is the vital task of our life.”

The STC approved the Strategic Plan for the JINR long-term development until 2030 and further presented by RAS Academician G. V. Trubnikov.

At the end of the meeting, R. V. Jolos warmly congratulated JINR Vice-Director Richard Lednický on his 75th anniversary on behalf of the STC members.

Evgeny Molchanov, JINR Weekly Newspaper