On June 2, Astana hosted the central event of the JINR Days in the Republic of Kazakhstan – an extended plenary session dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Astana branch of the Institute of Nuclear Physics.
The event brought together the representatives of relevant government agencies, international organizations, leading universities, and the academic community from seven countries: Kazakhstan, Japan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and others. The main topics of discussion were the results of the long-standing partnership, the development of research infrastructure, and prospects for training highly qualified personnel.
The session opened with ceremonial greetings to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and the Astana branch of the INP, which are celebrating significant anniversaries. On behalf of the government agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Chairman of the Atomic Energy Agency Timur Zhantikin, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yerzhan Ashikbayev, Chair of the Senate Committee on Social and Cultural Development and Science Nurtore Zhusip, and First Vice Minister of Education Maira Meldebekova addressed the participants. During the ceremony, official congratulatory addresses were also read from Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva and Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek.
The meeting's broad geographic reach and high academic status were emphasized by speeches from the distinguished foreign guests. Welcoming remarks were addressed by Masanori Koguchi, President of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Ilkhom Sadikov, Director of the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Chingis Omarov, Director of the V.G. Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute. Rectors and senior management of the M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University, the Almaty G. Daukeyev University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications, the National Research University of Artificial Intelligence, and the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.
The scientific program opened with an overview report by JINR Director Grigoriy Trubnikov, dedicated to the Joint Institute's experience in organizing international research activities. He particularly emphasized the need to develop a scientific and technical program for "tomorrow" in Kazakhstan. In addition to fundamental research, he identified information technology, radiation materials science, the development of high-temperature superconductors, and medical biosensors as perspective areas for future cooperation.
INP Director General Sayabek Sakhiyev reported on the development of the national research infrastructure. In his speech, he traced the history of the Astana branch—from the launch of the first beam to the development of future technologies. Remarkably, the branch, once established by a staff of ten, now comprises 67 employees, making a significant contribution to the development of Kazakhstani science.
Over the past twenty years, the Astana branch of the Institute of Nuclear Physics has made a significant contribution to the development of national scientific infrastructure and human resources training, while the DC-60 heavy-ion accelerator has become one of the country's key research facilities in nuclear physics, radiation materials science, and ion-beam technologies. The results achieved and the high level of representation at the plenary session demonstrate the continued strengthening of Kazakhstan's international scientific cooperation at JINR and the country's expanding participation in multilateral research initiatives.
