NRF CEO leads team South Africa to key conference at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Russia

Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, CEO of the National Research Foundation (NRF), is leading the South African delegation to the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) in Dubna, Russia. The delegation, made up of NRF executives, representatives from the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), Universities in South Africa (USAf) and various science councils, is attending the South Africa Days at JINR, a week-long conference commemorating 20 years of scientific collaboration and partnership between South Africa and the JINR.

Delivering opening remarks, Dr Grigory Trubnikov, JINR Director and former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, highlighted that it was a historic moment to have the NRF CEO present at this celebratory week.

In his address, Dr Nelwamondo emphasised that South Africa Days at JINR was not merely a conference, but a celebration of two decades of scientific diplomacy, partnership, and a shared commitment to discovery between South Africa and the JINR.

While South Africa became an associate member of the JINR in 2005, cooperation agreements between the JINR and South African universities such as the University of South Africa, University of Pretoria, and Stellenbosch University date as far back as 1994. The collaboration has a number of focus areas, including support for basic and applied research, as well as Human Capacity Development. Currently, 14 South African universities and research entities are participating in research activities that fall within the JINR multilateral research programme. These include research priorities such as Material science; Radiochemistry; Radiobiology; Engineering; Nuclear Physics; and Chemistry. Researchers from South Africa will be presenting on their collaborative projects during the course of the week.

South African students have been participating in JINR-led events for a number of years, including the International Student Practice. To date, close to 500 South African students have taken part in JINR training and capacity-building programmes. The program has also been successful in the support of emerging researchers who have the opportunity to work (and be mentored) by senior researchers at the JINR.

Concluding his address, Dr Nelwamondo said, “Science is at its most powerful when it unites nations in the pursuit of knowledge for the common good. Our partnership with JINR is not just about research. It is about empowering people, transforming institutions, and contributing solutions to global challenges that demand global cooperation”.