Kurchatov Institute's representative office opened in Minsk

MINSK, 29 March (BelTA) – A representative office of the Russian national research center Kurchatov Institute opened at premises of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (NASB) in Minsk on 29 March, BelTA has learned.

President of the Kurchatov Institute Mikhail Kovalchuk said: “Cooperation vigorously develops. Belarus' official admission to the international center for neutron research on the basis of the high-flux reactor PIK in Gatchina is in progress now. The opening of the Kurchatov Institute's representative office in Minsk will also allow us to expand interaction. Plans are in place to set up several labs, which will reflect our priorities of scientific and technological advance.”

Mikhail Kovalchuk stressed that Belarusian science is very advanced. “Strong suits, which are of interest for the Russian Federation, too, are obvious. First of all, microelectronics. Today it is one of the most important priorities, particularly for mechanical engineering. Second, agriculture, genetics for crop farming, animal husbandry, and aquacultures. Third, materials science, including for outer space applications. Fourth, nuclear technologies, including nuclear medicine. We intend to actively develop them. And there is another field – cognitive and sociohumanitarian studies, including those concerning historical legacy,” the Kurchatov Institute president noted.

The representative office was opened in Minsk during a congress of young scientists of Belarus and Russia. The decision to arrange the congress was made by the presidents of Belarus and Russia in December 2022. It is timed to Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia.

Taking part in the congress are young researchers from scientific organizations and higher education institutions of the two countries. The Russian Federation is represented by the national research center Kurchatov Institute and the Russian Academy of Sciences, including the St. Petersburg Research Center, the Siberian and Far Eastern branches.

The plenary session “Young scientists: Tasks and areas of cooperation for developing a single scientific and technological space between Belarus and Russia” took place on 29 March. Its participants discussed priority avenues of international scientific and technical cooperation between young scientists of the two countries.