further science and technology collaboration
16 February 2006
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is currently hosting a senior
Russian nuclear research delegation from the Joint Institute for Nuclear
Research (JINR) on a visit to South Africa until 17 February 2006. This is
aimed at strengthening existing as well as exploring new opportunities for
nuclear research collaboration between South Africa and the JINR.
Dr Rob Adam, current Director-General of the DST and CEO-designate of the
Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (NECSA), in welcoming the head of
the JINR delegation, Prof Alexei Sissakian, said that "South Africa's ongoing
co-operation with the JINR renders important support to the DST's efforts to
strengthen the country's nuclear research capacities and will further enhance
the development of human capital for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR)
programme in particular".
The visit gives further and concrete expression to the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) signed between South Africa (through the DST) and the JINR
in Russia in October 2005. According to Prof Sissakian, head of the JINR, "The
management of the JINR considers the visit as a watershed in terms of moving
the relationship between the South Africa and the JINR forward following the
historic signing of the MOU last year".
JINR, based at Dubna in the Russian Federation, is an international
organisation established to advance cooperation in nuclear research and
training for peaceful purpose among its member countries. The institute is a
world leader in research in elementary particle physics and nuclear physics. It
consists of seven laboratories with more than 4 000 employees, including 1 000
dedicated scientists.
Collaborative activities falling within the ambit of the MOU include visits
by South African researchers to the JINR and their participation in JINR
training courses, as well as collaborative research between South African and
JINR scientists.
Several South African research groups already collaborate with the JINR,
including the Universities of Pretoria, South Africa, Cape Town, and the
Western Cape, in areas such as thermonuclear research, nuclear and particle
physics, quantum mechanics and non-linear optics.
In order to strengthen and expand this cooperation, the delegation is
undertaking a number of site visits, including to the PBMR Design Centre,
NECSA, as well as the Universities of the Witwatersrand, Cape Town and
Stellenbosch.
For media enquiries contact:
Nhlanhla Nyide
Cell: 082 871 6767
Kristin Klose
Cell: 082 902 9503
For more information on the MOU contact:
Dr Neville Arendse
Cell: 082 389 1595
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
16 February 2006
