University of Belgrade to Become Part of Next Big Scientific Project at CERN

The University of Belgrade and the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN have signed the Memorandum of Understanding which pertains to the Feasibility Study of the next biggest scientific technological project at CERN – the Future Circular Collider.

On behalf of the university, the agreement was signed at CERN’s premises in Geneva on Monday, March 18, by the rector of the University of Belgrade, professor Dr. Vladan Djokic, and on behalf of CERN, by Dr. Michael Benedikt, the head of the study of the Future Circular Collider. The Memorandum of Understanding aims to open the possibility for all the members of the University of Belgrade, and then for other science institutions in Serbia as well, to get involved with the biggest international scientific technological project so far. The same agreement has been signed by several big science institutes and universities from CERN member states.

The study and the construction of the parts of the grand accelerator complex FCC (with a circumference of 90 to 100 km) has started and is not expected to be completed and put into operation before 2042. It will be built in two phases: the first one, which will enable the acceleration and collision of electron and positron beams at the highest energies so far, and the second phase, which will enable the acceleration and collision of two proton beams, also at record energies. The primary goal of the construction of the complex is further complex experimental and theoretical research in the field of high-energy physics, primarily particle physics.

– We hope that there will be an opportunity, not just for researchers and engineers, but also for successful Serbian companies to join this ambitious project, whose exploitation is planned for experts who are now in high schools or at universities – pointed out rector Djokic.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research, better known as CERN, is the biggest center for the research of elementary particles, founded in 1954. It is located in the Geneva area, on both sides of the Swiss-French borders. There are 23 states-members of CERN, and CERN has agreements on cooperation with 38 states and is an official observer with the United Nations. Serbia became the 23rd full member of CERN on March 24, 2019.

From the University of Belgrade, the participants are the Institute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinca”, the Institute of Physics, and the Faculty of Physics, and from the University of Novi Sad, the participant is the Faculty of Sciences. Certain teams, of a total of 34 of our researchers and specialists, are actively involved in the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC accelerator, as well as the ACE and NA61 experiments. Teams of Serbian researchers are also active within experiments in the field of nuclear physics on the ISOLDE installations, as well as within the GRID Computing project, on equal footing with colleagues from the biggest science centers and universities in the world.

Univerzitet u Beogradu

Institut za nuklearne nauke Vinča Beograd

Institut za fiziku Beograd

Fizički Fakultet Beograd

Prirodno matematički fakultet Novi Sad

Univerzitet u Novom Sadu

University of Belgrade

European Organization for Nuclear Research

CERN

Institute of Nuclear Sciences Vinca

Institute of Physics

Faculty of Physics

University of Novi Sad

Faculty of Sciences

Vladan Djokic

Michael Benedikt

Future Circular Collider