On 8 September 2026, a delegation from Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City (VNUHCM), headed by Chancellor and President Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai visited the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. At a meeting with representatives of the Institute’s Directorate, the parties outlined future cooperation formats, including joint studies, academic mobility, and the participation of Vietnam in the Institute’s educational programmes.
JINR Vice-Director Sergey Kulikov welcomed the delegation on behalf of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research. He noted that the current dialogue is aimed at expanding the participation of Vietnam and, in particular, Vietnamese universities in the JINR activities. “The Institute currently counts more than 40 employees from Vietnam, and we look forward to increasing this number, seeing as the Republic is rapidly developing its ambitious projects”, Sergey Kulikov emphasised.
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) is actively advancing its nuclear industry. By 2030, the construction of the country’s first nuclear power plant is expected to be completed, which requires the training of about 4000 engineering specialists. JINR Director’s Special Representative for Cooperation with International and Russian Scientific Organizations, person responsible for the Institute’s contacts with Vietnam, Academician Boris Sharkov noted that the construction of a large nuclear research infrastructure – a research reactor and an accelerator centre – will begin soon in Vietnam; an SRV–JINR laboratory is in the works. The Joint Institute will take part in building this research infrastructure as well as training personnel for the science and nuclear industry of the Republic.
Professor Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai said that Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City educates more than 100 000 students, the record number for the country. The university conducts fundamental research and plans to develop applied studies in semiconductor physics, AI, quantum technologies, nuclear energy, and the aerospace industry. “As part of our strategy, we want to increase the number of graduate students as well as to develop international cooperation”, she explained.
The VNUHCM Chancellor outlined three main areas for collaboration with the Joint Institute: the participation of the university’s graduate students in the JINR educational programmes, academic mobility for the career training of professors, and joint research.
During the meeting, the topics of possible joint work were defined. The priority topics for the VNUHCM today are quantum technologies and quantum modelling in collaboration with MLIT and BLTP as well as nuclear physics.
The meeting discussed such an effective tool for involving young people in the JINR science as information centres. The first information centre in Vietnam will open next week in Hanoi. The JEMS internship will be convenient for university professors in order to get to know the Institute in more detail. In addition, it was suggested that a VNUHCM employee be sent to JINR to help students, postgraduates, and professors arriving here with adaptation. The parties agreed to start preparing a cooperation agreement between the organizations.
JINR was represented by Chief Scientific Secretary of the Institute Sergey Nedelko, Director of the Laboratory of Information Technologies Sergei Shmatov, his deputy Dmitry Podgainy, JINR University Centre Director Dmitry Kamanin, his assistant Marina Tumanova, Head of the International Cooperation Department Otilia-Ana Culicov, a leading researcher at the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics Victor Yushankhai, and a leading researcher at the Laboratory of Nuclear Problems at JINR Le Hong Khiem.
The VNUHCM delegation included President of the University of Science Tran Le Quan, President of the University of Technology Mai Thanh Phong, and other heads of university departments. During the visit, they toured the Institute’s facilities in the Laboratories of High Energy Physics, Nuclear Reactions, and Radiation Biology.
Another delegation from Vietnam, headed by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Le Xuan Dinh, is expected to visit JINR on 10 September. Representatives of science and industry of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam will tour the NICA Complex, meet with the JINR Directorate and with the Vietnam’s National Group in JINR. In addition, the JINR Days in Vietnam will take place next week, from 14 to 18 September.
