On Tuesday, November 27, 2012 the 3rd South Africa–JINR Symposium  „Few to Many Body Systems: Models, Methods and Applications“  was opened at Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Unlike previous South Africa–JINR Symposiums held in Kruger National Park (2007) and Dubna (2011), which covered the subject of nuclear theory, this symposium is extended also to subjects of dense matter in heavy ion collisions (NICA project), nuclear reactions (production of heavy nuclear elements), applied nuclear physics, condensed matter physics and physics of underground laboratories in the context of the South Africa-JINR collaboration. Many South African scientific institutions including the University of Stelenbosch, the University of CapeTown, the University of Pretoria, the University of Zululand, the University of Johannesburg, the University of Western Cape, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and UNISA are taking active part in this scientific event. Opening speeches were  presented by Mr. Auf der Heyde, Deputy Director General of the Department of Science and Technology and by JINR Vice-Director Prof. Mikhail Itkis. The SA-JINR symposium attracted strong attention of the South African scientific community and about 80 participants  took part in this meeting. Presented reports are based on results of running joint research projects. During a student session students of the both sides will have opportunity to make short reports about their research. It is expected that symposium will inititiate opportunities to establish new areas scientific cooperations and extend the existing cooperations among physicists from South Africa and the JINR.

Shaun Wyngaardt and Fedor Simkovic