On Tuesday, 22 July 2025, a delegation from ITMO University, led by Rector Vladimir Vasilyev, visited JINR. The key topics of the meeting with the JINR Directorate were the scientific cooperation development, expertise exchange, and ways to involve youth in science. During the visit, the university’s representatives toured the NICA Complex and the JINR Main Facilities interactive exhibition at the Mir Cultural Centre.

One of the central topics of the meeting at the Institute’s directorate was the personnel problem. There is a shortage of researchers and engineers in the scientific and applied fields. The parties agreed that fostering an interest in science should start in primary education. From 5th to 6th grade, the foundation for schoolchildren’s future research careers should be laid.

The meeting participants discussed such mechanisms for involving schoolchildren in science as career guidance programmes and the work of the JINR Information Centres. Information Centres are successfully operating entry points to science, located in several countries. They help students decide on a profession and foster an interest in physics: in a number of regions, 30% more students chose physics at the Unified State Exam after interacting with Information Centres. JINR Director, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Grigory Trubnikov noted the Vitaly Arnold Contemporary Mathematics Summer School held at JINR and shared his impressions of meeting the participants: this year, the school brought together over a hundred students who are passionate about mathematics and physics.

ITMO, in turn, shared an example of a successful format: a project for high school students using a kinescope based on the principles of operation of the LINAC Accelerator. This confirms that the right infrastructure allows conducting educational programmes for talented youth even at school.

It was noted at the meeting that JINR’s mission is to provide aspiring scientists with access to unique world-class research facilities. The strongest incentive for young specialists is the opportunity to work at these facilities and participate in the implementation of scientific projects. And universities, including ITMO, help students pursue a career path to become researchers ready to contribute to international scientific collaborations.

In addition, the parties discussed the impact of artificial intelligence on scientific methodology. It was noted that AI is critical for a broad range of today’s tasks. There is a need to train a new type of specialists who can work effectively in these conditions.

JINR and ITMO expressed their readiness to develop a network model of cooperation, with two institutions at the core and an opportunity for other universities and research centres to join projects. The meeting participants agreed that the key condition for a successful partnership is to work on real, implementable projects. “What makes our interaction and friendship valuable is mutual enrichment: we have different experiences, successes, and failures. Perhaps, based on ITMO’s successful experience, JINR will be able to create a new format that has never been implemented before,” Grigory Trubnikov emphasised.

University Centre Director Dmitry Kamanin, Director of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems Evgeny Yakushev, Deputy Director of the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems Dmitry Naumov, and Scientific Leader of the Laboratory of Information Technologies Vladimir Korenkov represented the Institute at the meeting. The ITMO delegation included representatives of the Physics and Technology Megafacultet: Deputy Director Yana Muzychenko, a leading researcher Dmitry Karlovets, and a leading researcher Dmitry Glazov.