OREANDA-NEWS. October 6, 2008. Federal Minister of Education and Research of Germany Annette Schavan and Education and Science Minister of Russia Andrey Fursenko have agreed to enlarge German-Russian cooperation in the field of scientific research and technologies, says a representative of the press service of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research  of Germany.

The source says that, in line with Russian-Germany agreements, Russia is going to enlarge its financial contribution to the building of the FAIR accelerator complex in Darmstat to 15% (178mln EUR). During the 10th German-Russian inter-governmental consultations German Education and Research Minister Annette Schavan and Director General of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Sergey Kiriyenko signed a relevant joint statement.

“Russia is traditionally Germany’s key partner in the field of scientific research and technologies. For many years already the Russian Government has been systematically increasing its investments in the development of the most advanced technologies. As a result, Russian research institutes are very attractive partners for German scientists.”

“Research in the field of physics has long become the corner stone of the German-Russian scientific cooperation. Russia is also going to invest 250mln EUR in the European X-Ray Laser Project XFEL,” says the source.

The FAIR project (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) is an international accelerator facility of the next generation. It builds on the experience and technological developments already made at the existing GSI facility, and incorporates new technological concepts. At its heart is a double ring facility with a circumference of 1100 meters. A system of cooler-storage rings for effective beam cooling at high energies and various experimental halls will be connected to the facility. The project is based on many technological innovations.

The German Government has committed to 75% of the cost of construction, the remaining 25% are to be contributed by 15 European/international partners. The new facility FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) shall be organized as a European/international research centre.