Igor Yu. Dolmatov, the NSCMB FEB RAS Director, Corresponding Member of RAS, approved the annual report of the International Cooperation Department (ICD), jointly prepared with the ICD of the scientific and educational center "Primorsky Aquarium", a branch of the NSCMB FEB RAS.
According to this report, in 2023, the Center’s international relationships were supported based on 43 active agreements with nine countries (People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Japan, United States of America, Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, Republic of India and Philippines). Three international projects and programs (with Chinese and Vietnamese scientists) were also worked on.
There were five joint Laboratories and the Center: International Vietnamese-Russian Research Laboratory of Marine Biology and Ecology; Russian-Vietnamese Research Laboratory between the NSCMB FEB RAS, the Nha Trang Institute of Technology Research and Application (NITRA) VAST, and the Institute of Natural Products Chemistry (INPC) VAST; Joint Laboratory of biodiversity between the NSCMB FEB RAS and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK); Center for Excellence in Blue Economy (CoE-BE) between the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata, India (IISER Kolkata) and the NSCMB FEB RAS; Joint Chinese-Russian Laboratory of Marine Biology and Ecology between the NSCMB FEB RAS and the Institute of Oceanology Chinese Academy of Sciences (IO CAS, Qingdao). Their work has resulted in co-authored papers and joint online-conferences to discuss research problems and present reports.
Despite the geopolitical situation, the Center’s employees have been in 26 research missions/trips and visited seven countries (Vietnam, Belgium, China, South Africa, Japan, Kazakhstan, Portugal), and the Center and “Primorsky Aquarium”, the branch of NSCMB FEB RAS, welcomed 50 foreign specialists from six countries (China, North Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Japan). There were three joint expeditions and field work in the Yellow and South China Seas. Five employees took part in the work of international organizations (for example, APN – Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research, UNEPCOM, UNEP – United Nations Environment Program, PICES etc.). In 2023, 46 press releases and information materials on international activities (in Russian and English) were published on the NSCMB FEB RAS and “Primorsky Aquarium” websites.
In 2023, the NSCMB FEB RAS employees published 24 scientific papers co-authored with foreign researchers. There were 26 reports (sectional, plenary and poster) presented on 11 international events in Russia, the number of speakers was 24; 37 lectures were presented on 11 foreign conferences.
Konstantin Lutaenko with Prof. XiaoxiaSun.
Within Memorandum of Understanding, the International Cooperation Department of the NSCMB FEB RAS together with the Institute of Oceanology CAS organized the sixth “Chinese-Russian bilateral workshop on Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem in a Changing Ocean: Towards Sustainable Development Goals” in Qingdao. More than 50 people took part in the workshop: 30 Chinese researchers and postgraduatesincluding colleagues from Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research and 20 Russian researchers, 15 employees were fromthe NSCMB FEB RAS, and others were from the Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity FEB RAS and V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute FEB RAS. The workshop goals were: strengthening bilateral scientific and professional contacts, coordinating the development of joint scientific research in the field of marine biology, unlocking and strengthening the potential for cooperation between Russia and China, ensuring the NSCMB FEB RAS interests in the study of the World Ocean.
Employees of the International Cooperation Department of the NSCMB FEB RAS.
The Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement on joint marine expeditions were signed with the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya (IDSSE CAS) in December 2023. They have big importance for the further development of deep-sea research topics in the NSCMB FEB RAS. The main goal is a joint marine expedition to the northwest Pacific Ocean, which is planned for the summer of 2024.
Since the establishment of the International Cooperation Department of the NSCMB FEB RAS 17 years have passed. During this period, the International Cooperation Department participated or organized 28 international scientific conferences, workshops, symposiums; just for last 11 years (since 2011) provided the assistance in organization with 624 employee trips on aboard (from 4 to 22 countries per year).Since 2011, 510 foreign specialists and researchers have visited the NSCMB FEB RAS, including members of official delegations, diplomats and employees of international institutions (from 2 to 18 countries per year). Assistance was provided in organization and processing of 38 expeditions and field work abroad in 12 countries, including visa support, publishing of joint scientific papers, operating of five joint Laboratories and Centers.