An International Workshop «Prospects of Cooperation in the NICA Mega-Science Project» was held on 8 August 2013 in the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. Representatives of Belarus, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the South African Republic confirmed their interest in research at the accelerator complex NICA by their presence.

Delegations of Hungary and South Africa at the meeting were led by the heads of diplomatic missions in Moscow, JINR Director Academician V.A. Matveev noted “at this point two groups of countries that are present here. Some are ready to sign a protocol right now. Others are observers who will be working later on with governments and scientists of their countries to decide whether they could accept the conditions of participation in the project, as defined now or they will have to suggest us changes in the concept of the Mega-Science Project”.

VBLHEP Director V.D. Kekelidze spoke in detail about establishment of the NICA collider, plans, timing, progress and international cooperation. Even today 188 experts from 25 countries are involved in preparation of the compilation of theoretical proposals on the NICA research programme which is called “White book”. During the first stage of the project – the upgrade of the Nuclotron – experience, technological development, equipment were applied, experts from Germany, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Belarus and other countries were brought together. Contracts for supply of equipment and development of high-tech components were signed with Russian research centers and enterprises. An international tender for establishment of premise for the facility was issued.

Participants of the Workshop visited the Veksler and Baldin Laboratory of High Energy Physics to become acquainted with production of superconducting magnets, upgrading of the Nuclotron, establishment of the MPD detector.

The outcome of the meeting was the signing of a Protocol of Intentions. Representatives of governments of Belarus, Bulgaria, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine signed the document.

On behalf of scientific communities of their countries representatives of China, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland voiced their wish to participate in establishment of the NICA collider promising to government institutions and to seek support. Delegations of Hungary and the South African Republic at the meeting were led by the heads of diplomatic missions in Moscow, that in itself means already a great interest in these countries to events at JINR and the NICA project.