As part of the 2024 Russia‘s BRICS chairmanship, the 6th meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Research Infrastructures and Megascience Projects was held. The meeting opened on 1 July in Moscow at the Kurchatov Institute and continued in Dubna, at the International Conference Centre of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research.

Representatives of all BRICS countries, including the new member states of this organization, attended the event. During the meeting, participants talked about the scientific and technological policies and strategies of the BRICS member states in terms of research infrastructure. The event’s agenda included a discussion of organizational aspects of multilateral cooperation between the BRICS countries on the establishment and development of large research infrastructures in the organization’s member states, as well as carrying out joint research using this infrastructure. Detailed presentations on specific projects were also made. On 2 and 3 July, the meeting participants visited a number of large JINR facilities, such as the NICA Accelerator Complex, the Superheavy Element Factory, and the IBR-2 Reactor with a spectrometer complex.

Vice-Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Latchesar Kostov opened the meeting in Dubna. Speaking on behalf of the JINR Directorate, Latchesar Kostov expressed the Institute’s readiness to actively promote the expansion of participation of the BRICS countries in JINR activities, both in the development of the large research infrastructure and conducting scientific research in the multilateral format of JINR as an international platform. He wished the meeting participants successful work and expressed confidence that the development of multilateral cooperation between the BRICS countries in research infrastructure will bring their national scientific and technological facilities to a qualitatively new level.

“This meeting is very important, as it is an important opportunity to get to know the structure of the international organization (JINR) and a wide range of scientific infrastructure in Russia. This is a unique opportunity for the Brazilian scientists to actively participate in discussions on cooperation with colleagues from the BRICS countries and lay the foundations for new mutually beneficial relations,” State Secretary for Strategic Policies and Programmes at the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Brazil Osvaldo Moraes said.

“The experience of other BRICS Working Groups proves that expanding membership allows to enhance our work with new ideas and approaches. The accession of new countries contributes not only to the development of infrastructure, but also to cultivating new viewpoints on its role and engaging more young scientists and specialists in the construction and operation of new facilities. Expanding BRICS will undoubtedly make a positive contribution to the development of our Working Group,” Executive Director of the International Centre for Innovations in Science, Technology, and Education, member of the BRICS Steering Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation Irina Kuklina commented.

The seventh meeting of the BRICS Working Group on Research Infrastructures and Megascience Projects will take place next year in Brazil.