The signing of a Letter of Intentions on cooperation in the educational sphere between the Center of National Intellectual Reserve (CNIR) of MSU, the European Organization for Nuclear Research and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research was held on 26 March 2014 in the JINR Directorate. The document was signed by Director of the “National Intellectual Development” Foundation and the Center of National Intellectual Reserve of the MSU K.V. Tikhonova, CERN Director General R.-D. Heuer, and JINR Director V.A. Matveev.

Development of educational cooperation between these organizations was discussed at a joint meeting of CERN, CNIR and JINR which was held on 11-12 November 2013 in CERN. The meeting was devoted to participation of CNIR in Russian educational programmes for physics teachers (which are organized by CERN in cooperation with JINR at present); organization of courses on accelerator physics and particle physics for students and young scientists; support of long-term visits to CERN for Russian schoolchildren.

At the meeting in the JINR Directorate V.A. Matveev spoke about the major JINR’s scientific projects and noted that “educational programmes should be ahead of establishment of mega-science facilities – by the time they are built, we should already have had young people, who are ready to work, willing to work and know how to work”. JINR Director invited K.V. Tikhonova and her accompanying colleagues to participate in events dedicated to the JINR Foundation Day, and later to have more detailed acquaintance with activities of JINR Laboratories.

“We will be very glad to attend your festive events, – answered CNIR MSU Director, and we, of course, hope that in future this agreement will contribute to such important concept as development of youth creative potential for implementation of our educational plans, state scientific programmes, not only Russian but also international. I accept your invitation to visit JINR and to learn more about its activities with great pleasure”.