On 3 December 2025, a delegation of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, led by JINR Director, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Grigory Trubnikov, held meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) and Ministry of Higher Education (MES) of the Republic of Cuba. Cuban authorities were represented by CITMA Minister Armando Rodríguez Batista and MES Minister Walter Baluja Garcia. The parties discussed prospects for the development of international scientific and technical cooperation.

As Grigory Trubnikov noted at the end of the visit, the constructive dialogues allowed reaching specific agreements. In particular, JINR and CITMA confirmed plans to open an Information Centre of the Joint Institute in Havana in 2026 and agreed to prepare a project for a joint research laboratory under the auspices of the Cuban Ministry of Science. “The new laboratory’s key task will be the development of nuclear technologies to solve problems in ecology, climate change, and biomedicine, including the use of radiobiological methods to counteract new infectious diseases,” the JINR Director explained.

As part of the dialogue with the Ministry of Higher Education, an agreement was concluded on JINR’s participation in University-2026, the 15th International Congress on Higher Education. Specialists from Dubna will present the scientific and educational opportunities of the Joint Institute for Latin American universities.

The implementation of these initiatives will contribute to deepening JINR’s collaborations with both Cuban and other scientific and educational organizations in the Latin region.

On behalf of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov, Chair of the JINR Committee of Plenipotentiaries Arsen Khvedelidze, Director of the Laboratory of Radiation Biology Aleksandr Bugay, and Head of the International Cooperation Department Otilia-Ana Culicov took part in the meetings at the ministries.