On 15 November, the Association of Young Scientists and Specialists of JINR (AYSS JINR) and the Council of Young Scientists of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (CYS NAS of Belarus) signed a cooperation agreement. The two sides signed the document at a working session of CYS chairmen that was part of the International Science Festival of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

The aim of the agreement is to stimulate cooperation between young scientists of JINR and NAS of Belarus in order to achieve significant scientific output and promote science. The agreement implies that AYSS and CYS NAS of Belarus are going to organize joint events, exchange specialists, and inform each other about ongoing schools and conferences. “We’ll invite colleagues to international schools not only as participants, but also as lecturers. If the opportunity presents itself, we will organize joint excursions. We will also establish horizontal cooperation in all directions,” AYSS JINR Council Chairman Vladislav Rozhkov commented.

Thus, at the Festival, AYSS members established contacts with representatives of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, namely the scientific secretary of NAS of Belarus youth organization, representatives of BSU and BNTU, and scientists of the Joint Institute for Energy and Nuclear Research – Sosny in Minsk, Belarus (JIPNR), whose topics of research are close to those of JINR. “We have common ground with JIPNR, and it presents potential for joint research. A number of young JIPNR employees have already completed internships at JINR and participate in joint projects, namely MPD, BM@N. The process of cooperation has been launched, and I hope it will further intensify,” Vladislav Rozhkov summed up.

The AYSS Council Chairman said that on 28—30 November, the 3rd Young Scientists Congress would take place at the Sirius Science and Art Park. More than 5,000 people from Russia and 50 countries of the world are going to partake in it. A thematic session dedicated to the Union State will take place as part of the Congress. “During the session, my Belarusian colleagues and I will discuss participation in conferences regularly organized by AYSS. They will talk about key events in Belarus dedicated to fundamental physics. Having received this plan, we will be able to support each other by attending joint events and helping to organize them,” Vladislav Rozhkov noted. He added it would also be important to discuss assistance in organizing the School of Accelerator Physics, which will take place at JINR next year. VBLHEP JINR organized the first AYSS School of Accelerator Physics, and it took place in the summer of this year. Young scientists and specialists of VBLHEP, DLNP, and FLNP attended it. The second school will take place in 2024 and will focus on DLNP cyclotrons.

The Science Festival, held from 14 to 16 November in Minsk, brought together 100 young scientists, 50 from each country. The purpose of the event was to intensify cooperation and involve young researchers in solving socially significant tasks of the development of the Union State. The CYS chairmen working session was attended by representatives of JINR, NAS of Belarus, the Project Office for Russia and Belarus, and Russian universities and associations, including: the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, the Northern (Arctic) Federal University, and CYS of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. During the meeting, the two sides outlined the main areas of cooperation and identified the most significant short- and long-term tasks and projects.